Andrés Blanco: Angelitos Negros. 1948

Andrés Eloy Blanco, en 1913 es uno de los integrantes del Círculo de Bellas Artes y en 1918 es galardonado con la “flor natural” en los juegos florales con “Canto a la Espiga y al Arado”. Publica “El huerto de la epopeya”, y es encarcelado en la Rotunda por participar en manifestaciones estudiantiles. Estudia derecho en la UCV. En 1921 es galardonado en un concurso literario del Zulia y edita “Tierras que me oyeron”. En 1922 publica “Los Claveles de la puerta”. En 1923 obtiene el Primer Premio en los Juegos Florales de Santander con su poema “Canto a España”. Viaja a la península para recibir el premio. En 1924 es electo miembro de la Real Academia Sevillana de Buenas Letras. Al regreso publica “El amor no fue a los toros”. En 1928, edita el periódico antigomecista “El Imparcial”, y se vincula con las organizaciones clandestinas USCA (Unión Social Constructiva Americana) y FAR (Frente de Acción Revolucionaria). Después del golpe del 7 de abril de 1928 es hecho prisionero nuevamente.

About 1986 I became infatuated with the beauty of songs in Spanish and in that year I took a cruise which stopped for the day in Puerto Caldera in Costa Rica. Rather than go by bus to visit the capital, San José, I chose to spend the day in a small village on the coast. My intention was to connect with the locals and practice my Spanish. To achieve this I would try to engage them in conversation by asking for help: could they please explain why alcobas is mentioned in line 13 of Angelitos Negros. The grocer (shop number one) didn’t know but he insisted on taking me to the pharmacist (who would surely know). No luck there so the grocer, the pharmacist and I went to consult the baker. And on it went, to other shops. In brief, we (myself and about ten local people) ended up, several hours later, in the shop of a guitar maker. He solved the riddle and proceeded to sing Angelitos Negros for us. Ay, qué rico! What a fascinating day it turned out to be! And it taught me that the best way to get talking Spanish with strangers in Latin countries is to approach them with a polite, “Perdón. Tengo un problema. Tal vez Usted me puede ayudar.” (Maybe you can help me.) Try it – it works.