The poem treats the loss of a surname as a violent act. The speaker repeats "que me lo roben" (that they rob me of it) as a desperate protest. He compares the name to physical objects stolen off his body: a handkerchief, a ring, a piece of clothing. This personalization makes the historical crime of slavery feel immediate and intimate.

: While acknowledging his Spanish roots, he highlights the "silenced" African half of his heritage. 🌍 English Translation (Excerpt)

: Many of his poems are inspired by the son , an Afro-Cuban musical form. While "El Apellido" is more elegiac than his earlier rhythmic works like Motivos de son , it maintains his career-long commitment to making Black culture a legitimate focus of Cuban literature.

Below is the original Spanish text of "El apellido" by Nicolás Guillén, followed by an accurate line-by-line that preserves the rhythm, rage, and sorrow of the original.