The Song of the Borinquen by: Lola Rodriguez Reflection

La Borinqueña is the national anthem of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The current official music and words were codified in 1903 and have since been taught in schools and generally adopted by the public. The music was officially adopted by the government in 1952,and the words in 1977. The title refers to the aboriginal Taíno name for the island of Puerto Rico, Boriken or Boriquen.

In 1868, Lola Rodríguez de Tió wrote a poem in support of Puerto Rican revolution, which was set to the Ramirez/Astol Artés music. This song is basically a war song poem that calls the soldiers to awake and be ready for war . This song is very patriotic and shows how much love soldiers had for their country.
One line that stuck out to me was when it said

"We want freedom and our machete will give it to us!

Let’s go, Puerto Ricans, let’s go already,

for LIBERTY is waiting, ever so anxious"

This is a violent war cry when it says use machetes. I actually was intrigued by this poem because it showed a sense of patriotism and sense of do anything for your country. I am patriotic also when I think about my country of India. I believe that if I was a soldier and I heard this war cry I would be motivated to the fullest to defend my country.