Juan de Yepes was born in 1542 in Spain into a family of “conversos,” Catholics who had been forced to convert from Judaism. As a monk, Juan took the name Juan de la Cruz and was persecuted by fellow Carmelites for his adherence to the reforms instituted by his beloved St. Teresa of Avila. Imprisoned by his clerical enemies, Juan wrote poems of a highly erotic nature, including his Cantico Espiritual. Later, he published lengthy explications of the erotic poetry in which he explained away each phrase as a reference to a spiritual love. In his Cantico, Juan professes that the Esposa represents the soul and the Esposo, Christ.
The poem was begun 25 years ago and only published last month. Closely patterned after the mystical Cantico Espirituel of San Juan de la Cruz, this poem expresses the complexities of a more worldly love.
The opening lines are below. To read the entire work, go to the website of:
ESPOSA
My gracioso
has passed through many groves
like a deer pursued by weekend bowhunters.
I run after him calling and calling.
I seem to be climbing toward the snowline.
I ask my oldest companions:
Did you see him?
Do I seem pitiful?
Seeking other opportunities, I wait in bus terminals.
I watch the circling of birds near the ceiling.
I fill my pockets with small pieces of paper.
I declare nothing to the ticket agent.
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