Its highest form of expression was when it became a community, with all the complexities that involves. Segunda cita was an accident, one finding that led to others. I have always had a sort of vocation to be a communicator. Click hereĪlso, although like everyone else I was born with intellect, I have never seen myself as an intellectual. Support this progressive voice and be a part of it. But some of us need to sing about it so that reality can take on a life of its own and perhaps become complete. We all know that the world exists, because we see it, we feel it. Both reactions are a self-recognition of what makes consciousness: a sort of totemic act that consists of naming things. Over the years I came to realize that even more happens to those of us with a vocation to sing, because we begin by describing what surrounds us-both objectively and subjectively. I once heard Alfredo Guevara say that nations of people, out of their need for an identity, start by taking an inventory of themselves: their geography, their flora and fauna, the physical and spiritual characteristics of their people, etc. You have sung of love for Latin America, an identity, and humanity “homeland is humanity.” How do you mix all of those loves? Is it just a matter of feeling, or-in the style of your blog Segunda cita -as an intellectual public figure who rationalizes his passions? Silvio, you have sung about love in its most sublime and all-encompassing forms-love of a woman, nature, the family, one’s mother, wife, children, your town, San Antonio de los Baños, our heroes, Martí, Agramonte, and Cuba, the homeland. Following are the questions posed by an admirer and the responses of an artist and follower of Martí who was kind enough to answer them. For some inexplicable reason, the refrain “guajirito soy” kept running through my head. Today I had the opportunity to interview him and discuss his talent without false equivalencies (to remind us of Jorge Mañach), but also without feigned formalities. When I met him in person in Washington, DC, as the Cuban embassy re-opened in 2015 after the reinstatement of diplomatic relations, he honored me with an embrace and a finger to my chest, saying that he had read my writing. Silvio performing at the Zócalo in Mexico, June 10th, 2022 (Photo credit: Kaloian Santos) In the United States, at my universities, Silvio helped open doors for me with other Latin Americans who knew his songs. Sometimes I agreed with him, sometimes I disagreed, but I always admired his art and the way he used his own voice without echoing others. Since then, I have followed Silvio as a friend that he never knew he had. It must have been during college prep, once I was grown up and wanted to be able to express things better so that the ones that I loved would be more receptive to what I had to say. I don’t remember when I started listening to Silvio Rodríguez’ songs.
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