Document: Invite

Comments:

Los Ancianos

Los Ancianos*

They hold hands

as they walk with slow steps.
Careful together they cross the plaza
both slightly stooped, bodies returning to the land,
he in faded khaki and straw hat,
she wrapped in soft clothes, black
robozo* round her head and shoulders.

Tourists in halter tops and shorts
pose by flame trees and fountains,
but the old couple walks step by step
on the edge.
Even in the heat, only their wrinkled
hands and faces show. They know
of moving through a crowd at their own pace.

I watch him help her
off the curb and I smell love
like dried flowers, old love
of holding hands with one man for fifty years.

By Pat Mora from Borders, winner of the Southwest Book Award, published by Arte Publico Press at the University of Houston,1986

* ancianos: old people (ancients)
* robozo: shawl worn over head and shoulders, worn by Latinas

DMU Timestamp: March 19, 2021 22:17

Paragraph 1 0

Apr 7

Aaron H Aaron H (Apr 07 2021 7:25PM) : This stands for aged refering to maybe the town or the people they are talking about

Paragraph 1, Sentence 1 0

No sentence-level conversations. Start one.

Paragraph 2 0

Apr 7

Megan J Megan J (Apr 07 2021 7:09PM) : Ending reveals "they" is the elderly couple in love that the author admires so deeply.

Apr 7

Bradley W Bradley W (Apr 07 2021 10:27PM) : I also believe that simply referring to them as "they" shows the importance of their love rather than their descriptions.

Apr 7

Alyssa P Alyssa P (Apr 07 2021 10:54PM) : I agree. It puts the emphasis on them as a couple rather than the two of them individually.

Paragraph 2, Sentence 1 0

No sentence-level conversations. Start one.

Paragraph 3 0

Apr 7

Gracie W Gracie W (Apr 07 2021 1:31PM) : The first stanza introduces the soft and delicate connection made with the elderly couple. "Slow steps", "slightly stooped", and "wrapped in soft clothes" suggest their fragile state.

Apr 7

Alyssa P Alyssa P (Apr 07 2021 10:51PM) : The enjambment in this stanza is almost a token to their age. They've been around for so long, and the description of them reflects that.

Paragraph 3, Sentence 1 0

Apr 7

Kristina W Kristina W (Apr 07 2021 9:16PM) : Them walking with slow steps shows that because they have already done much with their lives, they are in no rush to be anywhere.

Paragraph 0

No paragraph-level conversations. Start one.

Paragraph 3, Sentence 3 0

Apr 5

Brooke H Brooke H (Apr 05 2021 5:57PM) : careful is capitalized, when nothing else is, making it stand out in the stanza. Grammatically it is a adverb and should be "carefully" which draws even more attention to the word

Apr 7

Ava M Ava M (Apr 07 2021 10:26AM) : Emphasizes that the elderly couple is walking together, holding hands. Adds to the pathos and loving tone

Paragraph 3, Sentence 4 0

Apr 6

Montana P Montana P (Apr 06 2021 2:24PM) : The repetition of words that sound as though they are withering is in reference to them being an elderly couple, perhaps nearing death.

Apr 7

Aaron H Aaron H (Apr 07 2021 7:27PM) : With the title meaning aged this fits well

Paragraph 3, Sentence 5 0

Apr 6

Emily C Emily C (Apr 06 2021 9:01PM) : The diction used to describe their clothing such as "faded" and "black" adds to the weary and fatigued tone

Apr 7

Ava M Ava M (Apr 07 2021 10:29AM) : The use of "faded" to describe the man's clothes implies that he has been working hard all his life. Adds pathos

Paragraph 3, Sentence 6 0

No sentence-level conversations. Start one.

Paragraph 3, Sentence 7 0

Apr 5

Brooke H Brooke H (Apr 05 2021 6:00PM) : the couple's contrasting clothes to that of the tourists implies they are locals

Apr 7

Kristina W Kristina W (Apr 07 2021 9:13PM) : I agree, telling how the woman is wearing a traditionally Latina piece of clothing confirms that they are locals.

Paragraph 4 0

No paragraph-level conversations. Start one.

Paragraph 4, Sentence 1 0

Apr 7

Megan J Megan J (Apr 07 2021 7:05PM) : I think the description of the "Tourists" is very contrasted to the previous stanza. The previous seems to describe more soft and supple and worn while the tourists seem much more frilly.

Apr 7

Olivia B Olivia B (Apr 07 2021 9:32PM) : I agree, I believe the juxtaposition between old and new is important to the concept of love in general. The couple's love is "aged" and more refined, more deep. Which the author may be comparing the modern thoughts of love to this timeless version of it

Paragraph 4, Sentence 2 0

Apr 7

Alyssa P Alyssa P (Apr 07 2021 10:58PM) : alliteration between flame trees and fountains. adds emphasis to the juxtaposition in the next lines

Paragraph 4, Sentence 3 0

Apr 7

Megan J Megan J (Apr 07 2021 7:07PM) : Author places a clear distinction between young and old with this line. Especially with clothing. The young wear exposed attire and the elderly shield themselves much more.

Paragraph 4, Sentence 4 0

Apr 7

Gracie W Gracie W (Apr 07 2021 1:33PM) : Does "the edge" refer to the edge of the scene/crowd, or possibly on the edge of their life?

Apr 7

Bradley W Bradley W (Apr 07 2021 10:24PM) : I believe it refers to both, with one being a straight up answer and he other being a more deep answer.

Paragraph 0

No paragraph-level conversations. Start one.

Paragraph 4, Sentence 6 0

Apr 7

Bradley W Bradley W (Apr 07 2021 10:28PM) : Perhaps shows nothing can stop their aged love.

Paragraph 4, Sentence 7 0

No sentence-level conversations. Start one.

Paragraph 4, Sentence 8 0

Apr 5

Brooke H Brooke H (Apr 05 2021 6:03PM) : the sentence starts in the middle of the line, mirroring the content of the sentence when "moving through the crowd at their own pace," comparing the couple to the sentence and the crowd to the lines of the poem

Paragraph 4, Sentence 9 0

Apr 6

Emily C Emily C (Apr 06 2021 9:13PM) : The contrast between the chaotic tourists and the slow walking of the old couple, magnifies their slow movements as if centering the poem's attention to them

Paragraph 5 0

Apr 6

Montana P Montana P (Apr 06 2021 2:25PM) : The speaker is observing the area around them and finds beauty in this withering couple because they see true love.

Apr 7

Kristina W Kristina W (Apr 07 2021 9:23PM) : The speaker seems almost envious of what this old couple has found and kept alive even after 50 years.

Paragraph 5, Sentence 1 0

Apr 7

Olivia B Olivia B (Apr 07 2021 9:35PM) : This symbolizes the old mans chivalry, even though he is old and may have trouble going off the curb himself, he still puts in effort to help his wife.

Paragraph 5, Sentence 2 0

Apr 7

Ava M Ava M (Apr 07 2021 10:38AM) : The speaker is watching the couple as they continue to walk with each other with love and affection, continuing to support each other after many years. This further amplifies the meaning of the poem in that true love lasts, no matter how old you become.

Paragraph 5, Sentence 3 0

Apr 6

Emily C Emily C (Apr 06 2021 9:06PM) : the simile comparing "old love" to "dried flowers" shows compassion in their relationship, because even after 50 years they still show love and affection for each other

Apr 7

Gracie W Gracie W (Apr 07 2021 1:25PM) : I agree, the "dried flowers" reference ties in how they have preserved their love for one another as one would with a wedding bouquet.

Apr 7

Olivia B Olivia B (Apr 07 2021 9:34PM) : I love that connection Gracie. I agree with both of you "old love" and "dried flowers" also symbolizes their love's perseverance for such a long time

Paragraph 5, Sentence 4 0

No sentence-level conversations. Start one.

Paragraph 6 0

Apr 6

Montana P Montana P (Apr 06 2021 2:28PM) : Pat Mora grew up along the border in Texas as a second-generation Mexican American.

Paragraph 6, Sentence 1 0

No sentence-level conversations. Start one.

Paragraph 7 0

No paragraph-level conversations. Start one.

Paragraph 7, Sentence 1 0

No sentence-level conversations. Start one.

Paragraph 7, Sentence 2 0

No sentence-level conversations. Start one.

General Document Comments 0

Image

0 comments, 0 areas

add area

add comment

change display

help

Video

add comment

help

Please choose from the list of thinking partners to the left

Choose a tab, then select
your Thinking Partner

Original

Resubmission