Poetry is like a song, like a
psalm, like a prayer.
Poetry is different things to many people, and April being Poetry Month,
Poetry is different things to many people, and April being Poetry Month,
The Latina Book Club is
celebrating by featuring Latino poets all week long.
There are numerous Latina female poets on which we could spend a whole month, if not more, discussing so I'll just stick with the immediate ones on my shelves and a quick snapshot of their books. Happy Reading!
From the Pope to immigrants to lovers to soldiers to
celebrities to the mentally ill – all are examined and judged in Dr. Reyna’s
poetry collection. The former Poet Laureate of the Altadena Library District
has been published in numerous journals, and is now the proud founder and owner
of the small indie press, Golden Foothills Press. Learn more about Thelma and
Golden Foothills Press at www.goldenfoothillspress.com.
IT
CONCERNS THE MADNESS by Nancy Mercado (Long Shot Productions)
Mercado
breaks up her “table of conscience” into four parts—In Memoriam, In Love,
Incensed and In Time. The poems are short and long, sweet and sad, about home
and loneliness, about madness and nonsense. Visit her at www.nancy-mercado.com.
A TONGUE
IN THE MOUTH OF THE DYING by Laurie Ann Guerrero (University of Notre Dame Press)
Both
personal and distant, Guerrero’s poems are compelling with vivid images and
powerful word choices. A lot of the poems are dedicated to family and friends,
but readers too can connect to them. Visit her at http://www.laurieannguerrero.com/.
CODEX OF
JOURNEYS: BENDITO CAMINO by Liliana Valenzuela
(Mouthfeel Press)
(Mouthfeel Press)
A member
of the Macondo Writers Workshop, Valenzuela poetry is lyrical and lush, and both
a battle cry and a celebration. We also love that the collections contains poems
in both Spanish and English. Visit her at http://www.lilianavalenzuela.com.
WITH THE
RIVER ON OUR FACE by Emmy Pérez (University of Arizona Press)
“Language
can be so sexy.” Pérez’ poetry flows, ebbs and floods readers with emotion,
just like the currents of the Rio Grande. She talks politics, community, walls,
immigration, culture, roots. Learn more about her at www.emmyperez.com.
THIS
RIVER HERE by Carmen Tafolla (Wings Press)
First
Poet Laureate of San Antonio, Tafolla honors her hometown with a collection of
poems about family, culture, community and generations of history. Readers will
also enjoy the photographs and illustrations within. Learn more about Tafolla
at www.carmentafolla.com.
READ
LATINO LIT!
READ
LATINO POETRY!