Un Hombre Desterrado

Quilapayún's song "Un Hombre Desterrado" delves deep into the emotional and existential turmoil of exile. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a man who feels alienated from everything around him. The opening lines, "Porque las lluvias amargas llenan los aires de llanto; muerte nos tapa la cara vida se ha vuelto un sarcasmo," set a somber tone, suggesting that the world has become a place of sorrow and irony, where life itself feels like a cruel joke. This sets the stage for the central theme of the song: the profound sense of displacement and loss experienced by someone who has been exiled from their homeland.

The repeated phrase "Un hombre desterrado" emphasizes the isolation and disconnection felt by the exiled man. He perceives everything around him as foreign—the food he eats, the air he breathes, and even the faces he sees. This sense of alienation extends to the physical spaces he once knew, as streets, corners, and plazas become unrecognizable. The lyrics convey a deep sense of nostalgia and longing for a past that is irretrievably lost, encapsulated in the lines, "y la nostalgia que atenaza y todo lejos, sin retorno y un hoy extraño y extranjero."

The song also broadens its scope to include women and children who are similarly exiled, highlighting the universal nature of this suffering. The repetition of phrases like "No existe límite en el llanto" and "No tiene término la muerte" underscores the endless grief and sense of loss that accompany exile. The final lines, which speak of the dying "madre-tierra y padre-cielo," suggest a profound disconnection from the natural world and a sense of impending doom. Quilapayún, known for their socially and politically charged music, use this song to poignantly capture the emotional and existential weight of exile, making it a powerful commentary on the human condition.