Sumpta ex: The Priest 32/9 (1976): 17–25

Ernesto Cardenal ,c· 'Solentillame: A Poet and a Revolution' by JAMES W. HEISIG

The idea had originated with Thom­ as Merton. In 1959, at a time when he could not himself gain permis­ sion to seek an alternative life-style as a hermit and was considering requesting leave from his superiors in Rome to found a hermitage away from Gethsemani, he encouraged one of his novices about to leave the Trappists for reasons of health to think'seriously about starting a con­ templative community in his native Nicaragua. The young man carried the idea with him as he left for Mex­ ico to carry on his seminary studies and kept in close touch with Merton during his later years of theology in Colombia. After his ordination in 1965 he returned to the United States to visit Gethsemani and to discuss final plans for realizing their common dream. Merton, by now living almost entirely in the woods as a hermit, reconfirmed his support and offered what advice he could. By the start of the following year a suitably sized finca had been se­ cµred, the land cleared and resi­ dence established. Today, nearly ten years later, Our Lady of Solen­ tiname is a flourishing community whose life and work continues to capture the attention of an ever wid­ ening circle of Christians through­ out the world committed to the struggle against injustice and op­ pression.

17 Much of the popular notoriety of Revolution which alone can free an what they have experienced, leaving Solentiname is due to the extraordi­ , , enslaved peasantry from the chains their mark upon those who have re­ nary charism of that young novice · they drag about on their ankles and mained to carry on. of Gethsemani who has since risen the yokes which weigh upon their Although life in the commune has to the stature of the most widely shoulders. "I came to this island," a monastic simplicity about it, there read and perhaps most important to Ernesto goes on, "seeking solitude, are none of the structural trappings all contemporary Latin American silence, meditation and in the end or politics which fetter the large poets: Ernesto Cardenal. His verse God. And this contemplation has monastic orders of the Church travels about restlessly with a life of brought me to the Revolution." today and even threaten them with its own, making his name synony­ The evolution of the commune extinction. Merton's advice to Car­ mous for millions with the awaken­ into what it is today is intimately denal, in a letter written only a few ing conscience of the Third World. bound up with the lives of those who months before the project was to But if it is true that there could be have, with Ernesto, dedicated them­ begin, was to avoid patterning the no Solentiname without an Ernesto, selves to make it work. Solentiname experiment after the life he had it is equally true that there could be is the story of William Agudelo, the known among the Trappists. "For no Ernesto without a Solentiname. talented Colombian poet who first one must not build institutions that The greatest achievement of this met Cardenal in the seminary of La invite disaster so easily." Instead, little commune, as any visitor can Ceja (near Medellin, Colombia) and suggested Merton, there should be readily see, is the cooperative preser­ was in the original party of three only one rule: There are to be no vation of the contemplative spirit who arrived here on the island in rules. How pleased he would have and the simple life. One has the feel­ 1966. A year and a half later he re­ been to see the fruits of his advice in ing here that in a modest but very turned to Colombia, drawn by the the practical wisdom which governs significant way history is being memory of a young woman he had daily life in Solen ti name! made. "I came to Solentiname," met before his departure. The fol­ But a life without rules is not a life says Cardenal, "fleeing what is lowing year he returned with her as without customs. All goods are known traditionally in the Christian his wife and, except for a period in shared in common. There is no rank idiom as 'the world' and what we Peru, William and Teresita and their or privilege for seniority or achieve­ now know as capitalism and the two beautiful children, Juan, five, ment. Living quarters are the same consumer society." and Irene, four, have lived here ever for all: crude but tastefully finished More particularly the community since. huts with the barest of furnishings. stands as a testimony of resistance The diet reflects the same tradition against the tyranny of the Somoza of asceticism. Dofia Justa, a quiet, family which has held power in Nic­ 'one must not selfless neighbor, works her magic in aragua for the past forty years. The build institutions the little thatched-roof hut where billboard slogans and portraits of that invite meals are prepared and taken. With the dictator which clutter the cities disaster so easily' the fruits, vegetables, grains, vegeta­ and the countryside of the land are bles, weekly catch of fish and an oc­ conspicuously absent here. In their casional piece of meat, ··all of which place hang pictures of Che, Fidel, Solentiname is the story too of the islands provide in abundance, Camilo Torres, Allende, Chavez, Alejandro, Laureano and Elbis she keeps the commune healthy and Marx and Jesus. whose paintings and artifacts have strong. On the other hand, Solentiname is been displayed and sold throughout Most of the community is up and a living experiment with the hope Latin America. Natives of these is­ about by 6:00 a.m. Around 7:00 the for a promised land without in­ lands and all of them young men in clanging of a metal rod against an equality or selfishness. None of their twenties, each has stamped the iron tie suspended from the porch of those living here hold up their com­ community with his unique person­ the common house announces the mune as a model for Latin America ality and charm and dedicated spirit time for the morning's "readings." as a whole. It is seen rather as a of revolution. And Solentiname is Those present each recite one of the "revolution writ small," a sort of the story of others who have come Psalms. A reading from the Bible spiritual preparation for a larger for a while and gone, enriched by follows, interrupted occasionally by

21 questions and comments, and some light for those who wish to read, to tion, Orbis Books), will make supplementary material of philo­ write, to have a game of chess or to known to a wider public the extraor­ sophic or social interest - for exam~ ·· make music. dinary results of the Solentiname pie, excerpts from the speeches of The wider community of Solen­ mission . Comprised entirely of the Fidel. The only other community tiname, comprising now about 200 commentaries of the peasants on the meditation takes place at the cele­ of the some 1,000 residents of the 38 Gospels read at Sunday Mass, the bration of the Mass twice a week, islands of the archipelago, is also an stunning and often brilliant insight once in the commune and once on important part of the commune's of these people into the meaning of Sunday with the larger island com­ life. Not all choose to be part of the Scriptures chart in impressive munity. The liturgies are simple, what is happening here. Some lack fashion the flowering of conscience symbolic without being rubrical, boats for travel (although others in the oppressed. and important - too important one row several hours to and from Man­ In his introduction to the first vol­ feels here to be made into a daily carr6n); some do not find the reli­ ume Ernesto writes: "The commen­ routine. gious pietism they had been used to; taries of the campesinos are usually The greater part of the day is some fear reprisals at a later date; deeper than what one finds in many taken up with work. In addition to some yield to the anti-communist theologians, but with a simplicity the royalties from Cardenal's writ­ propaganda leveled at the commune like that of the Gospel itself. Little ings, the commune provides for it­ and Ernesto. But for those who de­ wonder: the Gospel, the Good News self by the artifacts produced in the cide to accept the open invitation, to the poor, was written for them shop: leather and metal works, pot­ not only is there a common interest and by people like them." tery, paintings and sculptures. (Er­ in "primitive art," as they like to call On one particular Sunday the lit­ nesto himself is an accomplished it here, but also a concern with the urgy was held under the thatched sculptor and potter.) There are no wider reaches of the Revolution. pavilion near the chapel building fixed hours of work and there is no So far the politicization of the and was attended by one of Ernes­ pressure to produce. Each one must campesinos here has not caused any to's cousins, Silvia, and her hus­ find his own pace and weigh his own problems. The government tolerates band, Alvaro, who has come to visit abilities against the needs of the it as so much idle talk and the com­ the island. As usual the reflective whole. munity thrives on that fated bit of dialogue was tape-recorded, and At almost any hour of the day ignorance. Like the twin volcanoes ended this day with Alvaro's reac­ there will be one or more people in rising out of their lake, slumbering tions: "It is remarkable how you the common house reading, now in silence but invincible if people come up with such reflec­ stretched out on a hammock or sit­ stirred to life, these people are com­ tions, and so much to the point, like ting on a log on the porch. The li­ ing to discover an inner strength and the Fathers. I'm used to reading the brary of some 2,500 books, mostly solidarity which, combined with Gospels regularly and I don't find of a literary and socio-political na­ the efforts of many, many others, much in them. But I've no doubt ture, is an essential part of Solen­ may one day bring the Revolution about what's going on here today: tiname. There is no one here who to reality. the Holy Spirit is among you. And does not spend an hour or two a this Marcelino - he's a Doctor of day, often much more, absorbed in the Church." (Marcelino is one of reading. No one except the children. the Gospel, the peasants.) Having myself read Teresita Agudelo spends time the Good News to the poor, much of the completed manuscript each day with the children and some was written for them, and attended the liturgies, I can only of their playmates from the island by people like them agree that the impression is quite as­ teaching them to read and write, tonishing. telling them the secrets of their own The ability to inspire a people to world and filling their imagination The publication of Cardenal's lat­ be so inspired in themselves, people with the stories of other worlds and est venture, The Gospel in Solen­ who in many cases cannot even read times. Just about the time they go to tiname, whose first volume is slated or write their own names, is a special bed each night a small generator_is to appear in the coming months grace. One might perhaps best call it turned on for a few hours to provide (Editorial Sigueme; English transla- mystical. Muein: to shut the eyes -

22 as if blindness to learning and schol­ Pasos. Later that year he departed trayal and bad luck thwarted the arship enabled one to see deeper and for Mexico City to enter the Faculty plan, and Ernesto had to go into more clearly, to listen more atten­ of Philosophy and Letters in the Na­ hiding while most of the principal tively, to be free enough to be edu­ tional University. During these organizers disappeared into custody cated in the needs of a people rather years, 1943 to 1947, he published a for interrogation, torture and even­ than simply instruct them to voice number of his poems in Mexican tual execution. From then until 1956 only those needs which the present journals and papers. After graduat­ he worked on a lengthy political structures and institutions ire pre­ ing with his Licenciatura de Letras poem, "Zero Hour" ( La Hora O) pared to service. In the case of Er­ he came to the United States where · which, like much of his other work, nesto Cardenal that process in­ he studied North American litera­ was only known among friends. volved many long and difficult years ture at Columbia University until During 1956 Cardenal underwent of spiritual struggle, from stripping 1949, when he left for a year's travel a spiritual conversion and resolved away ambitions to an academic lit­ about the countries of Europe. to become a monk. The following erary career, to detachment from so­ Upon returning to Nicaragua he set year he entered the Trappist monas­ cial status, to a defrocking of the to work on a series of historical tery at Gethsemani and initiated a conventional notions of priesthood poems, at the same time collabo­ friendship with Thomas Merton and Church. rating with Urtecho on a translation (with whose works he was already of North American poets, an im­ acquainted) which continued until during 1956 mense task which stretched out over Merton's untimely death in 1968. Cardenal underwent several years until its publication in Their extensive correspondence, a spiritual Madrid in 1963 as Antologfa de la when made public, will show the conversion poesfa norteamericana. It was also great esteem and affection that unit­ during these years that Cardenal ed these two men. It will also tell the Born into an aristocratic family in began to sculpt and to work in clay. story of how in 1959, just months the port town of Granada, Nicara­ A series of loves at this time and after Ernesto had left Gethsemani to gua, in 1925, Ernesto moved With growing interest in militant resis­ continue his studies under the Bene­ his family to Leon at the age of five. tance against the Samoza regime led dictines in Cuernavaca, Merton At ten he returned to Granada to to a variety of amatory and political struggled to obtain permission for a study under the Jesuits in the Cole­ epigrams, some of which circulated "leave of absence" from the Trap­ gio CentrosAmerica where he com­ under the name of "an anonymous pists in order to join Ernesto in pleted his secondary education. Nicaraguan" and were so published Mexico where together they would Pablo Antonio Cuadra, the famous by Pablo Neruda in La Gaceta de seek "the ideal of a simple, non-in­ Nicaraguan poet, recalls his impres­ Chile. Cardenal also worked on stitutional, contemplative life in the sions of Ernesto as a young boy: "I translations of the Latin epigram­ mountains, in true poverty and soli­ remember him when he was very matists, Catullus and Martial, first tude." By the end of the year "abso­ small, with the face of a distracted publishin•g the entire collection only lute and final negation on the cause" bird, alert and restless, seated in an in I 961 under the title Epigramas. In had come from Rome. armchair, his feet dangling well 1952 he founded a small poetry pub­ above the floor, reading poem upon lishing house, El Hilo Azul, for cir­ 'do not fear, poem without stopping. From then culating the works of several poets but be like a child on only poetry interested him, (excluding his own), and co-founded nothing else" (from his introduction a small library which subsequently in his arms, and you will to: Ernesto Cardenal, Anto/og{a, became a gathering place for poets accomplish much ...' Buenos Aires, 1971). and critics. Ernesto's poetic interests led him In 1954 he joined an urban guer­ Cardenal remained in the semi­ in 1943, with other poets of his gen­ rilla movement which attempted an nary, carrying on his studies and eration, to join the "Movimiento de armed assault on Samoza in his writing poetry. There he completed Vanguardia," a circle whose central presidential palace, an event which a work of reminiscences called Geth­ figures included Pablo Antonio, came to be known as the "Conspira­ semani, Ky.; a long and beautiful Jose Coronel Urtecho and Joaquin ci6n de abril." A combination ofbe- historical poem El estrecho dudoso

23 ("The Doubtful Passage"); a collec­ Some years after settling into So­ the Revolution is fear of commu­ tion of revolutionary Nicaraguan lentiname, Cardenal was invited to nism ... and the Church has con­ poetry (Poesia revolucionaria nicara­ . visit Cuba as a member of a panel of tributed in large measure to incul­ giiense, co-edited with Ernesto judges of Cuban poetry. While there cating just that fear among the poor. Mejia Sanchez); and a book of prose he kept copious notes and later pub­ ... And so whenever I can preach meditations first sketched in Geth­ lished them in a lengthy book called before a full congregation (which I semani, Vida en el amor (British simply En Cuba (English transla­ can't always do), I mention the word translation, Love, London, 1974; tion, In Cuba, New York, 1975). A 'communism' and speak in its and an inferior American transla­ magic lantern of vignettes and im­ favor." tion, To Live is to Love, Garden pressions, favorable and critical, this By communism Cardenal City, 1974), a work which Merton book offers perhaps the best single means both the marxist vision of a likened in one of his letters to the introduction to the principles and classless society and the Christian work ofTeilhard, "even better, since goals of the Solentiname community ideal of a people building up the Chard in was only half a poet." and to the political ideas behind Kingdom of God. Neither the On August 16, 1965, at age 41, Er­ Cardenal's poetry. The talks and in­ abuses of Soviet Russia nor those of nesto Cardenal was ordained to the terviews given during recent trips to the Church - both of which he de­ priesthood in Managua. The night Peru, Chile, Argentina, Venezuela nounces uncompromisingly - de­ before, Merton had sat down to pen and Germany bear witness to the serve the name of communism, in these lines in one of his long letters: tremendous impact of the Cuban ex­ his view. In talks with Allende and "Your life has been blessed, your perience on his life and thinking. Castro he found agreement on his vocation is truly from God in a most Today Cardenal sees it as his analysis of the Latin American so­ evident way. He may let you feel priestly mission to preach the two­ cio-religious situation: "Just as your own limitations, but the might fold Revolution: the interior revolu­ marxists need Christians for the es­ of his Spirit will also be evident in tion of the spirit, the external revo­ tablishment of socialism, so do your life. Do not fear, but be like a lution of political structures. His Christians need marxism for -the es­ child in his arms, and you will ac­ trip to Cuba confirmed what he had tablishment of the Kingdom of God complish much for your country." already learned from Merton: that on earth." · At the time Merton was again the contemplative life is radically in­ scheming - indeed going so far as complete if it does not embrace a he sees things more to go above the heads of his superi­ concern for the wider social prob­ simply than most people, ors and write letters to the Pope and lems of man. At the conclusion of and takes intellectual to the Secretary of the Sacred Con­ his Cuban notebooks, Cardenal short-cuts gregation for Religious, copies of added, from the solitude of Solen­ which were sent to Cardenal - to tiname: "A great change had taken · Though at one time, largely under obtain permission to become a pro place in my life. It was like a second the influence of Merton and Gand­ tempore spiritual director for the re­ conversion. I had learned that at this hi, Cardenal had embraced a princi­ cently conceived community of So­ moment, and in Latin America, to ple of strict non-violence, he is more lentiname. Once more came the res­ practice religion meant one had to aware of the ambiguities today and olute refusal from Rome. be part of the Revolution." has given up an absolute stand. Finally, in 1968, Merton's return A lengthy article in the Argen­ Clearly preferring the non-violent trip from India was to include a stop tine review Crisis (June, 1974) and a solution wherever possible, he also at their monastery in Chile and a series of interviews given here in recognizes conditions in which only visit to Solentiname. But that was 1972 (Von der Heiligkeit der Revolu­ counterviolence can overthrow un­ not to be. Today pictures of Merton tion, Wuppertal, 1973) spell out his just and oppressive institutions that are scattered throughout the huts of concerns in forceful and direct lan­ wreak their own forms of violence the commune and his books, in Eng­ guage. Cardenal does not hesitate to on the poor and defenseless. In this lish and Spanish (some of his work announce that "the most important sense, he insists, violence can be un­ was translated by Ernesto, as Merto mission of the Church at this time in dertaken as a work of transforming had translated some of Cardenal's Latin America is to preach commu­ love, not as mere reactionary hatred. work), line a shelf of the library here. nism. The greatest obstacle facing As Robert Pring-Mill notes in the

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