Bilingue By Rhina Espaillat

The Poem Bilingual/ Bilingue by Rhina Espaillat is a narrative poem which suggest a epigram, it has a deep message about the language barriers between two different cultures and relates to the struggles that everyday bilingual people have to face, especially when growing up. But, it’s written in a way that the message is very clear and to the point using informal and at times witty language, grasping the reader’s attention. This poem uses figurative language to help get the message across. Metaphors like “still the heart was one” (462) even though the speaker is learning English, she still holds on to her culture and native tongue, she’s still the same person with the same heart. The writer also uses rhymes like with the words: “there & aware” “name & claim” at the end of her sentences to create a flowing tone.
The father of the speaker forces her to speak: “English outside this door, Spanish inside” in attempt to holding on to their culture and native language. He is not as accepting to her learning English as she wishes he’d be. So, almost as if going against her father’s demands she writes that, “late in bed I hoarded secret syllables I read until my tongue (mi lengua) learned to run where it stumbled”