José Martí was borned in 1853

When he was 17 years old

He was active in the Cuba Liberation Movement

And he was exiled by the Spanish Government

He spent most of his life in exiling

and including 12 years in New York city

He wrote 70 books, poetry, novels, polemics

He is one of the greatest writers in the Spanish language

At the age of 42, he went back to Cuba

This is one of his last poems

Because he was killed within the year

in a border uprising

after he died, people put it to a popular tune

Guantanamera, guajira guantanamera

Guantanamera, guajira guantanamera

Yo soy un hombre sincero

De donde crece la palma

Yo soy un hombre sincero

De donde crece la palma

Antes de morirme quiero

Echar mis versos del alma

Guantanamera, guajira guantanamera

Guantanamera, guajira guantanamera

Mi verso es de un verde claro

Y de un carmin encendido

Mi verso es de un verde claro

Y de un carmin encendido

Mi verso es un ciervo herido

Que busca en el monte amparo

Guantanamera, guajira guantanamera

Guantanamera, guajira guantanamera

The word means “I am a truthful man

from the land of the palm trees

And before dying

I want to share these poems of my soul

My poems are soft green

My poems are also flaming crimson

My poems are like a wounded fawn

seeking refuge in the forest”

The last verse says “Con los pobres de la tierra”

With the poor people of this earth

I want to share my fate

The streams of the mountains

pleases me more than the sea

Con los pobres de la tierra

Quiero yo mi suerte echar

Con los pobres de la tierra

Quiero yo mi suerte echar

El arroyo de la sierra

Me complace más que el mar

Guantanamera, guajira guantanamera

Guantanamera, guajira guantanamera

Once more

Guantanamera, guajira guantanamera

Guantanamera, guajira gu