Miguel Hernández's Poetic Symbols: Imagery and Meaning

Early Poems (Orihuela Period)

In his first poems, written during his formative years, Miguel Hernández incorporated symbols drawn directly from the environment of his native Orihuela. Examples include the fig tree, prominently featured in "Recuerdo" and "Insomnia". The image of the shepherd also frequently accompanies the poet.

Initial Phase

Key poems from this phase include:

• "Lujuria" ("Lust"), where he explores erotic desire through the lens of bucolic poetry.
• "En tu boca" ("In Your Mouth"), where he presents the female form using soft and gentle metaphors.

"Perito en lunas" (1933)

Published in Murcia, "Perito en lunas" ("Moon Surveyor") consists of 42 stanzas, paying homage to the poet Góngora and his style of culteranismo. Key symbols in this work are:

• Bull: Representing death and sacrifice.
• Palm Tree: A feature of the Mediterranean landscape, compared to a jet.

This early book is rich in symbols characteristic of its time, with numerous references to masculinity.

"El rayo que no cesa" (1936)

In "El rayo que no cesa" ("The Lightning That Never Stops"), the central theme is love, around which various symbols revolve. Examples include:

• Lightning: Fire, burning, representing desire.
• Lemon: Female breast. The frustration caused by the elusiveness of the beloved causes him pain. "I threw you a bitter lemon."
• Blood: Sexual desire.
• Shirt: Masculinity.

In this book, the beloved is represented by both soft metaphors (spikenard, myrrh) and harsher ones (thistle, bramble). The sonnet "Como el toro he nacido..." ("Like the Bull I Was Born...") highlights his tragic fate, marked by death, fierceness, scorn, and pity. Not all poems in this book are romantic; some address sexuality, attributed to his relationships with Maruja Mallo and Josefina Manresa. Example: "My name is mud, although they call me Miguel."

"Viento del pueblo"

"Viento del pueblo" ("Wind of the People") is war poetry, using poetry as a weapon of struggle. The poet shifts his focus from the self to others. Key symbols include:

• Wind: The voice of the people, with whom the poet identifies.
• Ox: The cowardly and resigned populace.
• Lion: Rebellion and nonconformity.

"El niño yuntero" ("The Yoke-Boy") exemplifies this, presenting the life/death antithesis in the Baroque style. After his marriage to Josefina Manresa, his poetry shifts from love to motherhood, with the womb becoming a central symbol.

• Claw: Symbolizing fierceness.
• Wild Beast: Animalization as a symbol of humanity's degradation due to war.

These poems depict the pain of war, with blood and pain replacing passion.

"Cancionero y romancero de ausencias"

"Cancionero y romancero de ausencias" ("Songbook and Ballad Book of Absences") opens with elegies for his first deceased child. Hope is reborn with the birth of a new child.