An Analysis on the Poem "Child of the Americas" by Aurora Levins Morales

Child of the Americas is a poem by Aurora Levins Morales that tackles social diversity. It is a poem about an American who came from a mixture of various cultures that comprise her heritage and her identity as an American.

The first lines hold the essence for the entire poem. “I am a child of the Americas…A child of many Diaspora, born into this continent at a crossroad…” The author is a descendent of an immigrant or an immigrant herself but that is what she sees as her unique trait and the identifying nature of her being an American. This premise is evident for most Americans. Besides the Native American Indians, every Americans are migrants. It is through these migrants that the United States of America is a country that it is today. It was through the efforts of these migrants from which the founding fathers of the country came from. Ergo, America became a melting pot of cultures and diversity of people. This diversity is highlighted throughout the poem. And these diversities are the quintessence characteristic of every Americans.

“I am not African, Africa is in me…Spanish is in my flesh…I am not European, Europe lives in me…” These metaphors are evidence of the many cultures from which Americans today came from. These diversities of cultures enrich the being or the self of individual Americans. I am not European, Europe lives in me because the first wave of migrants who came to America are Europeans who are seeking freedom--freedom from oppression, freedom to worship, economic freedom and opportunities that they cannot seemed to find in Europe; a new chance and a new hope in a new land that they could call their own. They are Americans.

Spanish is my flesh... In recognition of the Spanish influence and in credit of the land that used to be part of the America from which people of Spanish and American descent have intermingled and shared their culture. Spanish influences such as religion, tradition, and food are treasured by Latin Americans who are very proud of their heritage. They are Americans.

I am not African; Africa is in me... When the Africans were transported to the Americas as slaves, they have left the “self” and the way of live of Africans. They were “forcefully” made into Americans. At first they were slaves, but through the efforts of visionary men, their rights were recognized and they 'formally' became Americans. Though they have adopted a new way of life and culture, Africa is in their hearts because it is through their influence that they persevered and preserved them as a people from a very rich culture. The efforts of the forefathers of the contemporary African-American today made them an integral part of the community and the society as a whole. They are Americans

“I was born at the crossroads and I am whole….” Again, Morales emphasized through at a crossroads the fact that there is no “standard” or “typical” American because Americans came from a melting pot of culture. These various cultural heritage, tradition, and influences are combined together to form the American culture. A culture made from a melting pot of combined social inspirations that became integral to each Americans. There is no “supreme” or “pure” American because even by tracing down American history, such person does not exists. Every American was born at a crossroad and this is what makes everyone whole. This influences makes the individual truly American, truly a unique culture on its own--in a way that his personality and realization is through a background of a culture made through turbulent past, an effort of integration, and preservation of culture. It is through the knowledge of this diversity that Americans are Americans.