The Guitar

“Landscape” by Federico Garcia Lorca (1921)

“Landscape,” or “Paisaje,” also found in Poem of the Deep Song, features short lyrical lines, natural elements, and similes like “The Guitar.” Lorca pays homage to the natural setting of Andalusia, particularly the olive tree, as Spain is known for being the largest producer of olive oil in the world. These trees, much like the guitar and the singing style of cante jondo, release an emotion and utter a scream in Line 14.

“The Cry” by Federico Garcia Lorca (1921)

“The Cry,” or “El Grito,” also found in Poem of the Deep Song, pairs well with “The Guitar.” While the guitar weeps, the singer wails; the two go hand in hand to make the magic of flamenco music. As Lorca compares the guitar’s sobs to the sobs of wind and water in “The Guitar” poem, here he compares the singer’s cry to a rainbow arc that spreads across the land as well as the vibrations of the wind. Both poems utilize natural elements to suggest the raw energy and power of flamenco music.

“The Silence” by Federico Garcia Lorca (1921)

The poems above as well as “The Guitar” incorporate elements of weeping, crying, and screaming.