Of the Threads that Connect the Stars

“Of the Threads that Connect the Stars” is a short, 14-line narrative poem written in free verse. The story in the poem is drawn from the life of the poet. Martín Espada—or a version of him—is the speaker.

The poem begins with the voice of the first of three generations in the poem. “Did you ever see stars? asked my father with a cackle” (Line 1). The word “cackle” sets the tone for the first stanza. The laughter is harsh; its humor has an edge. The why of it is explained in the following sentence when the speaker reveals he isn’t talking “of the heavens, but the white flash in his head when a fist burst / between his eyes” (Lines 2-3). His father is speaking of his experience. He has been in fights and has known violence.

The reaction to the opening question is laughter. The speaker says, “In Brooklyn, this would cause men and boys to slap / the table with glee” (Lines 3-4). They connect with the question because they live it. Ending the third line with “slap” highlights the verb, holding it suspended for a moment before the fourth line adds the object, “the table,” and the tone, “with glee.