Lines 1-5

The poem's title, "Business," like the titles of the four other poems included in the suite with "Business," alerts readers that the poem will address a universal subject. The other poems, "Atmosphere," "Love," "Music," and "Memory," are all about figuratively explaining the meaning of their titles. All of the titles are abstract nouns, that is, they are ideas more than images. As with the other poems, "Business" begins by attributing what is said to Don Arturo, a persona Cruz uses to evoke the sense of folk wisdom. The term "persona" derives from the Latin term dramatis personae and literally means the mask worn by actors in classical theater. Today persona usually refers to the character that the "I" in a lyrical or narrative poem takes on. Cruz's poem, however, is reported, rather than direct, speech. "Don" means sir, and is a title formerly attached to the...