Creating a Space for Love and Revolution: The Poetry of Otto René Castillo

In the poetry of Otto René Castillo, the theme of community is resounding and it manifests itself in the Socialist Revolution. This paper studies how Castillo conveyed his vision of said Revolution, that is to say, of how Guatemala fit into his vision of a new worldwide order. The study begins by placing Castillo’s poetry in its artistic context and outlining his agenda that advocated that words be supported by actions. Next, a brief biography demonstrates how the poet-revolutionary lived out his agenda by committing himself to the military struggles of the Revolution. Then starts the literary analysis of his poetry beginning with the study of Castillo’s political commitment as he articulated it in verses that followed the conversationalist trends. In this context, the poet offers images of the imperialist world against which he was struggling. Then, there is an exploration of how the poet used the metaphor of love for its generative qualities to speak of the Revolution’s inherent promise of a better world. This section is followed by a close reading of the poetry Castillo wrote specifically to his amada and it focuses on his development of the theme of sacrifice. Lastly, the verses dedicated to his pueblo are examined to conclude that, in Castillo, sacrifice—stemming from love—was essential to the Revolution