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I was teaching an intro to lit class yesterday and afterward one of my students said that reading Federico's Ghost changed his whole view of poetry. He said he previously thought poetry was irrelevant to everyday people, obtuse, precious. However, Martín Espada changed what he thought and what he was going to read. He went on and on about the use of images that got under his skin, images that made the labor and the suffering a visceral, unforgettable experience.
(Ah, we poets, we teachers, live for that!)
Please take a look at that life-changing poem and a repeat look at my review of his Pulitzer Prize nominated book, The Republic of Poetry.
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Federico's Ghost
The story is that whole families of fruitpickers still crept between the furrows of the field at dusk, when for reasons of whiskey or whatever the cropduster plane sprayed anyway, floating a pesticide drizzle over the pickers who thrashed like dark birds in a glistening white net, except for Federico, a skinny boy who stood apart in his own green row, and, knowing the pilot would not understand in Spanish that he was the son of a whore, instead jerked his arm and thrust an obscene finger.
The pilot understood. He circled the plane and sprayed again, watching a fine gauze of poison drift over the brown bodies that cowered and scurried on the ground, and aiming for Federico, leaving the skin beneath his shirt wet and blistered, but still pumping his finger at the sky.
After Federico died, rumors at the labor camp told of tomatoes picked and smashed at night, growers muttering of vandal children or communists in camp, first threatening to call Immigration, then promising every Sunday off if only the smashing of tomatoes would stop.
Still tomatoes were picked and squashed in the dark, and the old women in camp said it was Federico, laboring after sundown to cool the burns on his arms, flinging tomatoes at the cropduster that hummed like a mosquito lost in his ear, and kept his soul awake.
Martín Espada's The Republic of Poetry reminds me of Oscar de la Hoya's boxing. Beautiful to behold, it's unerring in its aim. Pared down to the essential--it's body blows to the chest, to the gut, head blows that annihilate the opponent and leave the viewer stunned, reeling, gasping for air.Democracy subverted in Chile and by implication, everywhere, reverberates on every page.
The Republic of Poetry is not an elegy, it's an upper cut to complacency, a left hook to amnesia. Wake up, remember what was, see what's happening right in front of you.The comparison of Espada to Neruda, to Whitman are many, but to me, what comes to mind is poet warrior, able to fight and raise an army with the power of his words.
But in case you're not convinced, here is some additional praise for this remarkable book.
“What a tender, marvelous collection. First, that broken, glorious journey into the redemptive heart of my Chile, and then, as if that had not been enough, the many gates of epiphanies and sorrows being opened again and again, over and over.” —Ariel Dorfman
“Martín Espada is a poet of annunciation and denunciation, a bridge between Whitman and Neruda, a conscientious objector in the war of silence.” —Ilan Stavans
“Martín Espada’s big-hearted poems reconfirm ‘The Republic of Poetry’ that (dares) to insist upon its dreams of justice and mercy even during the age of perpetual war.” —Sam Hamill
“Martín Espada is indeed a worthy prophet for a better world.” —Rigoberto González
This is tight, muscular writing. Espada make his point with an economy of language, concealing a dense terrain of imagery and meaning. In this universe, the dead are not ghosts, but fully fleshed--staving off the soldiers, marching in the battlefield, struggling in the streets, and inspiring new generations. Read these and you'll see what I mean.
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The Soldiers in the Garden
Isla Negra, Chile, September 1973
After the coup, the soldiers appeared in Neruda’s garden one night, raising lanterns to interrogate the trees, cursing at the rocks that tripped them. From the bedroom window they could have been the conquistadores of drowned galleons, back from the sea to finish plundering the coast.
The poet was dying: cancer flashed through his body and left him rolling in the bed to kill the flames. Still, when the lieutenant stormed upstairs, Neruda faced him and said: There is only one danger for you here: poetry. The lieutenant brought his helmet to his chest, apologized to señor Neruda and squeezed himself back down the stairs. The lanterns dissolved one by one from the trees.
For thirty years we have been searching for another incantation to make the soldiers vanish from the garden.
The soldier leaves, not because the poet is super human, but because he's supremely human. Poetry taps into a power that no bullet can halt nor cancer eat away. Armies of everyday people have been set loose with words like Neruda's. Then and now, the men in power with bloody hands know it's dangerous, know it's subversive. But in the end, it remains unstoppable.
Black Islands for Darío
At Isla Negra, between Neruda’s tomb and the anchor in the garden, a man with stonecutter’s hands lifted up his boy of five so the boy’s eyes could search mine. The boy’s eyes were black olives. Son, the father said, this is a poet, like Pablo Neruda. The boy’s eyes were black glass. My son is called Darío, for the poet of Nicaragua, the father said. The boy’s eyes were black stones. The boy said nothing, searching my face for poetry, searching my eyes for his own eyes. The boy’s eyes were black islands.
What possibility dwells in those black eyes? What page of history will be written for him to read, and what page will he write himself? Knowing that Espada is a father, I can only imagine how many times he's asked himself those questions in the still hours of the night, watching his own child sleep. Toward the end of The Republic of Poetry, Espada meditates on the "smaller" world of family and relationships, personal joy and private grief. Every fighter has his scars, and every poet, his pleasures.
Now, stop reading this, it won't get the job done. Go. Get the book. Read that instead. It's time to wake up.
The Republic of PoetryW. W. Norton
ISBN-10: 0393062562
ISBN-13: 978-0393062564
Lisa Alvarado
1 Comments on Martín Espada, A Writer's Life, last added: 4/23/2009
Michael Sedano reported on this conferencelast week on La Bloga, and he mentioned his role in the conference including his important gift of photographs. The conference deserves another post; here's language from the conference website. Notice the prominence of Señor Sedano.
The 22nd Annual Tomás Rivera Conference will Feature Screenwriter Ligiah Villalobos’ film Under the Same Moon and will be screened at the event celebrating Chicano Latino literature and arts. Screenwriter Ligiah Villalobos, who wrote Under the Same Moon (La Misma Luna), will be the keynote speaker at the 22nd annual Tomás Rivera Conference on Friday, April 24, at the University of California, Riverside. Among the highlights of the annual event are an art installation of a life-size car made of burlap, My ’61 Ford, by Adán Avalos, an exhibition of previously unreleased photos of Rivera and other Hispanic writers by Michael Sedano, screenwriting workshops by Villalobos, and the screening of Villalobos’ Under the Same Moon.
All events will be held on the UCR campus, and are free and open to the public. Parking costs $6.
The 2009 conference has as its theme From the Fields to the Stars and commemorates the 25th anniversary of the death of Tomás Rivera, a Chicano poet, educator and UCR’s chancellor from 1979 to 1984. He was the first Hispanic and first minority chancellor in the UC system, and also, at 43, the youngest person ever appointed to lead a UC campus. He died in 1984 after a heart attack.
"So many things have come together for this most heartfelt conference in honor of the 25th anniversary of Rivera’s passing – the availability and genius of Ligiah Villalobos, the daring of Adán Avalos, the new script by Carlos Cortés, the generous photography collection donated by Michael Sedano and the hard-working Tomás Rivera Conference Committee, the engine of this program. And, of course, Mrs. Concha Rivera’s vision," said Juan Felipe Herrera, Tomás Rivera Chair in creative writing and conference organizer. "Each hour of the conference day will be a star for all to see."
Conference events start at 8 a.m. when Adán Avalos will begin the installation of his life-size burlap car in the lawn area outside the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Interdisciplinary Building, where most conference activities will take place. Avalos, the son of farm workers, recently was the resident artist at the Montalvo Arts Center in Saratoga, Calif.
At noon, the Flor y Canto (Flower and Song) Chicano Literature Festival archives will be inaugurated in Special Collections and Archives on the fourth floor of the Tomás Rivera Library. Rivera attended the first Flor y Canto National Chicano Literature Festival held at University of Southern California in November 1973. An original photo collection will be displayed featuring images of Rivera and other early Chicano writers at that groundbreaking festival. Michael Sedano, the donor and photographer, will be present.
Villalobos will conduct three screenwriting workshops from 1 to 4:15 p.m. in the Interdisciplinary Building screening room. The sessions will focus on the structure of the half-hour comedy, the one-hour drama and the full-length screenplay. Villalobos has been the head writer of the Nickelodeon series Go, Diego! Go! and previously directed all television production and development in South America for The Walt Disney Co.
A 5 p.m. reception outside Interdisciplinary 1020 will include music by local guitarist Hector Ceballos. Activities will move inside at 6:15 p.m. with Carlos Cortés, UCR professor emeritus of history, performing an original dramatic solo in homage to Rivera, followed by a screening of Under the Same Moon. A question-and-answer period with Villalobos will follow.
NERUDA POETRY FESTIVAL KICKS OFF WITH TRIBUTE TO POET PIONEERS
Su Teatro's Tenth Annual Neruda Poetry Festival had a soggy opening night as another spring storm moved into Colorado - rain expected to turn into snow - but a little moisture couldn't dampen the spirits of the audience. We listened to excellent readings of the works of two pioneers of Chicana poetry: Flor Lovato and Margie Domingo. Truly, we shared an inspiring evening with the actors from Su Teatro who did the readings, giving new life to poems and word art, some of which were written decades ago. The two poets confessed that hearing their works read by someone else was a "liberating experience" and a "beautiful event." Margie thanked Tony Garcia, Su Teatro's Artistic Director, for "not waiting until we died" to do the tribute, and Flor revealed that writing her spirited poetry back in the day when the Chicano Movement was in its beginning stages in Colorado, "saved her life."
Margie Domingo and Flor Lovato
Actors and Poets: Cindy Cordova, José Guerrero, Joaquin Liebert, Tony Garcia, Margie Domingo, Valerie Castillo, Jamie Lujan, Flor Lovato. Not in photo: Angel Mendez Soto and Manuel Roybal.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FOR HIT LIST
Straight fromArte Público Press, here is the list of scheduled events, so far, for readings and signings for Hit List: The Best of Latino Mystery. I may be biased, but I have to say that there's some pretty good stories in this book - you really should get a copy, then take it to one of the events to listen to a few of the writers read from their stories and answer questions from readers. If you don't know about Hit List, browse through recent issues of La Bloga; there are at least four interviews with contributors to this anthology.
Friday, May 8, 2009 - 6:30 pm Murder By The Book 2342 Bissonnet Houston, TX 77005 713-524-8597 David Thompson [email protected]
Participating authors confirmed: Sarah Cortez, Lucha Corpi, Rolando Hinojosa
Thursday, May 14, 2009 - 6:00 - 8:00pm East Harlem Cafe 1651 Lexington Ave (@ 104th St.) New York, NY 10029 Aurora Anaya-Cerda La Casa Azul Bookstore [email protected]
As part of my ongoing efforts to spread the word about Hit List: The Best of Latino Mystery, this week I have an interview with Sarah Cortez, one of the editors of Hit List. Sarah is quite an interesting person with a varied background, which we get into a bit in the Q&A below. Anyone who proclaims on her website that her two greatest loves are policing and poetry should be interviewed. I was intrigued about the idea of a cop also functioning as a poet and an editor, and Sarah responded quite well; I think you will find her answers informative and helpful, especially for someone considering a life in the literary world. You can find out more about Sarah, her books and her other projects on herwebsite.
You are a writer, poet, police officer, editor, and teacher. Quite a résumé. What kind of writer are you – how would you describe what you write? How did you get to the point where you said, “Yes, I am a writer”?
Even though I was first published in fiction, I consider poetry to be my métier. My poetry has been described as “tightly-muscled,” as well as, “Searing. Sexy. Stunning. Blunt.” by no less a poet than Naomi Shihab Nye. I am a devotee of concise language and precise visceral imagery.You ask how I arrived to the point of considering myself a writer. Well, I was fortunate to be mentored by two of the great contemporary American poets: Edward Hirsch and Naomi Nye. By taking classes with them and with other talented teachers, I furthered my craft and my practice. Of course, as with many other writers, I found the first book contract quite convincing. Winning prizes and awards also added to my sense of being a professional writer. However, I would be the first to insist on the “democracy of the blank page.” Whether one has had eight books published or none, in front of the blank page we’re all equal.
Yes, equal and fearful - nothing like a blank page to stir up insecurities.
It’s not unheard of, of course, that law enforcement people would segue into something creative such as writing. In your opinion, though, has the police background helped or hindered your creative urges?
The policing background greatly augments my writing practice, particularly in poetry. One of the poet’s greatest and most formidable tasks is putting the inexplicable into words. One must attempt to translate the unknowable onto the page. In policing, you are slammed with the inexplicable all the time. In fact, it rains down on you. I am most productive in my writing when working the streets as a cop. The negotiation (both internal and external) required due to the amazingly different roles and concomitant discursive spaces is impossible for a civilian to understand.
You recently helped put together Hit List: The Best of Latino Mystery, along with Liz Martínez, your co-editor. What attracted you to becoming an editor? How would you describe editing in comparison with writing a short story or a poem?
What attracted me to editing is much the same as what attracted me to teaching. While editing’s ultimate goal is producing an artistic whole that is publishable, the editor often helps the writer grow and learn. So, in both the teaching of creative writing and the editing, you are assisting the student/writer further his/her vision and craft. I would even go so far as to say that you can’t be a truly effective creative writing teacher without being an excellent editor.In terms of the differences between editing vs. writing your own work, I would say that in writing your own poem or short story you create from the get-go. Your primary excitement and joy is in the creative act, then later in the “revision” act. In editing, the editor has to totally enter into the author’s vision. The editor must carry inside him/herself a thorough understanding of the form, a keen eye for grammatical and syntactical snafus, and an exquisitely honed appreciation for the appropriate payoffs for the future reader, which of course, vary by form. Added to all of this is an impeccable ear for language and all those additional elements composing the standards of the form, e.g. in fiction, plot, characterization, dialogue, pacing, tone.
How did Hit List come about? Where did the idea originate? Who helped make the idea a reality? Why do you think it is important to have such an anthology
The original idea for Hit List came from Liz Martínez. She saw that while there were anthologies of short mystery for other ethnic or cultural groups that there wasn’t one for Latino authors. She came to me because I had the professional contacts to obtain a contract with a prominent publisher and I had the editing skills necessary to ensure a quality product. Plus we both had loved mystery since childhood.
Both Liz and I owe Dr. Nicolás Kanellos, the founder and director of Arte Público Press, an immense debt because he unhesitatingly and enthusiastically took on the project. You know, he is renown for being a brilliant visionary. He’s the publisher who started Denise Chávez, Ana Castillo, Gary Soto, Sandra Cisneros, and Pat Mora on their international writing careers.
It is important to have such an anthology for numerous reasons. First, the book showcases many excellent Latino/a writers. Secondly, the book lets the reader enjoy the widely varied applications of the mystery apparatus by Latino authors. Another important subtext for me as an editor is to let the multi-faceted cultures and sub-cultures of the characters shine forth. It is this richness, I believe, that may lead the reader to perceive that Latinos come from many different types of neighborhoods, different economic strata, etc. For instance, my story in Hit List, In My Hands, is set in an affluent Houston suburb and has only Anglo characters. I grew up in an Anglo neighborhood adjoining a ritzy enclave.
We don’t often hear about young people wanting to become an editor. Cop or writer, yes, but seldom editor. Give us a quick pitch as to why more students should look at editing as a way to become involved in literature or the arts in general, or even as a career path.
I would guess we don’t hear more about students becoming editors for two reasons. The first reason is that youthful dreams tend to lead the dreamer into starring roles. In the literary world, the starring role at this point in time is that of the author. The second reason is that if you take the general rule of thumb as true that it takes about ten years to become proficient writing in a form (and, BTW I believe that it is necessary to be extremely proficient in a form before you try to edit others’ writing in that form), then after those initial ten years, a young writer has to develop the eye and the ear for editing. Well, you can see how time-consuming the process will probably be.
When you read the submissions for Hit List, did your police experiences (your “real life”) “get in the way” of letting you escape into the stories, or maybe it was the other way around – because you have been a cop were you able to enjoy the stories at a certain level of reality that other readers might not recognize?
You ask if my experience as a cop interfered with my enjoyment of the Hit List stories, or help me enter the imaginative space of the authors. As a street cop, most of the calls for service don’t involve homicide, which is the preeminent crime of interest in mystery. However, a good cop is very intuitive and a master at reading body language and subtle shifts in minuscule details, e.g., breath, pupil dilation, hand movements, voice, etc. So, this eye for human behavior can really serve you well as an author, poet, or editor. I would say that the times when I would get pulled out of an author’s compelling fictional landscape would be when a tactical, ballistic, or equipment question came up. For instance, is that type of duty belt or nylon rig used that way, is the caliber correct, did that manufacturer make a weapon with that type of finish in that caliber in that year, etc. Fortunately, I have shot many of the weapons referenced by crime authors and ballistics fascinate me.
Your poetry was featured in the first issue of Lineup, a magazine devoted to crime poetry. What is crime poetry and how is it different from other kinds of poetry?
I’m glad you asked about Lineup, the chapbook series so wonderfully edited by Gerald So, with Patrick Shawn Bagley, R. Narvaez, and Anthony Rainone.The poetry featured deals with some aspect of criminal behavior whether from the victim’s, criminal’s, or another’s perspective.In trying to define what is different about crime poetry from other poetry, I would say that the subject matter focuses the poet’s eye very particularly.So that in trying to accomplish that “great” poetic task we talked about above – putting the inexplicable into words – the poet must unflinchingly hone in on physicality, whether the physicality of the crime scene, the victim, the suspect, and so on.What I see when I read poems from Lineup is the unremitting eye of each poet beginning in the sensory world of the crime’s occurrence.And, of course, the higher the emotional content of an event, the harder it becomes to write about it with elegance.Writers, especially fiction writers, joke about how hard it is to write love/sex scenes and have them turn out well.That’s because of the high emotional content and the enormous number of hackneyed clichés surrounding love/sex scenes.Well, crime scenes carry a lot of those same burdens for the writer/poet.The poets chosen for Lineup do a fantastic job.
I think Lineup is an innovation with much potential power to dramatically change the poetry/crime fiction scene. I hope more readers find it. I'm delighted to note that I have a poem in the upcoming second issue, due later this summer.
What other projects are you working on?
Thank you for asking about my current projects. I’m finishing up editing Indian Country Noir for Akashic Books, another of the projects that Liz Martínez and I have done together. I am also collecting essays by current or retired law enforcement officers for a collection of literary writing by America’s cops. I’ve been busy traveling to colleges and universities to show both composition teachers and creative writing teachers how to use Windows Into My World: Latino Youth Writer Their Lives in the classroom. You can tell people to contact me on my web site www.poetacortez.com if they’re interested in learning more about these projects. Thanks, Manuel. I’ve enjoyed talking with you!
Thank you, Sarah - I hope we meet in person one day, as long as you're not arresting me.
___________________________________________ BITS AND PIECES
TENTH ANNUAL NERUDA POETRY FESTIVAL
Thursday night 4/16, 7pm: A moving spoken word tribute to Flor Lovato and Margie Dominguez, featuring Su Teatro actors and local artists and scholars. $12, $10 student/senior
Friday night 4/17, 7pm:Barrio Slam competition—$500 grand prize attracts the best talent in the city. $250 for 2nd, $175 for 3rd, fun for everyone! Only $5
Saturday afternoon 4/18, 5:30pm: Tacos and Words Literary Salon featuring The Anaya Project. Creative responses to the work of Chicano literary legend and author of Bless Me, Ultima, Rudolfo Anaya. $12
This program features: John-Michael Rivera, professor,writer and poet Gabe Gomez, poet Jennifer Rincon, playwright,writer, actor Paul Flores, performance artist, writer Maria Melendez, poet and teacher Manuel Ramos, writer Harrison Fletcher, professor, writer J Michael Martinez, teacher, poet Cecelia Aragon, playwright, professor, writer
Saturday night 4/18, 8:05pm: ¡Representa! featuring Paul S. Flores and Julio Cardenas. $18, $15 student/senior
For more information, or to purchase tickets, callEl Centro Su Teatroat 303.296.0219 and check out our new and improved website: www.suteatro.org. All events at El Centro Su Teatro, 4725 High Street, Denver, CO 80216
SUPER ESTRELLAS
Presenting the ultimate artistic extravaganza. artistes "super" estrellas features the ultra-cool urban art of: tony vecchio, gems, j.g. medina, jolt, josiah lee lopez a.k.a. zepol, and sev
n...
CHAC north gallery, 774 santa fe blvd., denver, april 1 - 25.
come one, come all, art to entertain the masses!
WESTWORD'S BEST Best DIY Book With Local Ties Day of the Dead Crafts Co-authored by Jerry Vigil "We love local santero Jerry Vigil, having bestowed a previous Best of Denver award on him for his cocky Colorado Rockies muerto, a traditional bare-bones Day of the Dead calavera dressed up in a Rockies uniform. And now we get to laud him all over again for Day of the Dead Crafts: More Than 24 Projects That Celebrate Día de los Muertos, a book he co-authored (with Kerry Arquette and Andrea Zocchi) and contributed to as an artist. Vigil said last fall that he hoped to help impart a more sophisticated understanding of the cultural traditions behind the whimsical Day of the Dead art. And we say he succeeded, without taking away an ounce of the genre's personality."
Spring is cruising the blood, the tired winter gasps empty threats (warning - we have had blizzards in April, even May.) I'm getting my second wind for writing. Life is good.
Later.
3 Comments on Sarah Cortez Interview - Neruda Poetry Festival - Estrellas - Best Muerto Book, last added: 4/10/2009
Lucha - nice to hear from you. I enjoyed Hollow Point at the Synapses (again), in Hit List. There are some pretty good stories in the collection, don't you think? I hope we can do a joint event around the book with several of the writers. That would kill (so to speak.)
In Arizona or New Mexico in a clear midnight go out and see if you can see only one star…
Lalo Delgado, from Harmony in Diversity
The 9th Annual Neruda Poetry Festival opened on April 17 with the annual tribute to Abelardo Lalo Delgado - great poet, great man. The performers presented their own interpretations of Lalo's words, everything from a couple of his sweet children's cuentos to rousing renditions of Stupid America and the Chicano Manifesto. It was an inspiring way to kick-off this event that grows every year. Thanks to John Kuebler of El Centro Su Teatrofor the following information about this weekend's events at the Festival.
Give thanks to the women, the mothers and sisters who were there when everyone else forgot about you Who bathed you in their baptismal waters of sacred nurturing, hanging with the weight you suckled raw, cracked and callused.
Sandra María Esteves, from Give Thanks
A giant of the Nuyorican literary scene and longtime associate of the famed Nuyorican Poets Café, Sandra María Esteves is also the author of six published collections of poetry, including her 1981 debut, Yerba Buena, which won the Library Journal’s Best Small Press publication that year. Sandra will be a featured guest artist and headline performer at this year's Festival.
…street-corner born, forlorn fugitives of the total jail. Hail Pachuco!
raúlrsalinas from Homenaje al Pachuco (Mirrored Reflections)
The Austin press dubbed him the Chicano Allen Ginsberg, but he called himself a cockroach poet. After serving 13 years in some of the most notorious maximum security prisons in the country,raúlrsalinas turned his heart to activism and took up a new and powerful weapon: the pen. Join Su Teatro and help pay tribute to raúlrsalinas this Saturday night (8:05pm). You will also meet and hear Nuyorican luminary Sandra María Esteves, 2008 César Chávez Community Award winner Bobby LeFebre, and 2008 Barrio Slam champs.
Thu 4/17, 8:05pm: Tribute to Lalo Delgado Fri 4/18 , 7pm: Barrio Slam ($500 first prize) Sat 4/19, 4pm: Tacos and Words Literary Salon - featuring John-Michael Rivera, Sheryl Luna, Rachel Snyder, J. Michael Martínez, Gabe Gomez and Sandra María Esteves. Food and drink, too!
Sat 4/19, 8:05pm: Palabras Vivas featuring Sandra María Esteves and a special tribute to raúlrsalinas, with Yolanda Ortega, Valarie Castillo, Tony Garcia, Debra Gallegos, Bobby LeFebre, and Angel Mendez Soto.
All events at El Centro Su Teatro, 4725 High Street,Denver.
Fresh off winning the top novelist prize in America, Junot Díazsays the literary establishment “should be embarrassed” he’s only the second Latino writer to snatch it.
“Don’t let that overwhelm you,” says Cuban-American novelist Oscar Hijuelos. “Remember the work and keep your feet on the ground.”
For 18 years, Hijuelos was the only Latino writer ever to win a Pulitzer Prize for literature, thanks to his saga of Cuban musicians making it in New York, The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love.
“It almost knocked me out,” he says of the moment when he heard the news of Díaz’s win last week for his book The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.Read more here.
Every year on April 23rd, Barcelona erupts in a celebration of chivalry and romance, Book & Lover's Day. It all began in the Middle Ages with an annual Festival of Roses to honor St. George, Patron Saint of Catalonia, who as a brave Roman soldier allegedly slew a dragon about to devour a beautiful young princess. According to legend, a rosebush sprouted from the blood of the dragon and the soldier plucked its most perfect blossoms to give to the princess as a remembrance. In 1923, the Rose Festival merged with International Book Day, established to celebrate the lives of Miguel de Cervantes and William Shakespeare, both of whom died on April 23rd in 1616. Now, bookstalls and flower stands sprout up along the Rambla, a two-mile stretch connecting the city with the Mediterranean Sea. Thousands of Barcelonans crowd the streets to enjoy a festive atmosphere of readings, music, literature, and dance.
The Tattered Cover honors this springtime celebration of culture, beauty, literature, and love. On April 23, complimentary roses and commemorative bookmarks will be available with the purchase of any book; while supplies last.
Nada, Carmen Laforet, translated by Edith Grossman (Random/Modern Library, 2007); originally published in Spain in 1945, this is a cult classic long regarded as a masterpiece. The publisher says: "Mario Vargas Llosa’s Introduction illuminates Laforet’s brilliant depiction of life during the early days of the Franco regime. With crystalline insight into the human condition, Carmen Laforet’s classic novel stands poised to reclaim its place as one of the great novels of twentieth-century Europe." Read more about this book here.
Havana Gold, Leonardo Padura, translated by Peter Bush (Bitter Lemon, 2008) From the publisher: "This is a Havana of crumbling, grand buildings, secrets hidden behind faded doors and corruption. For an author living in Cuba, Padura is remarkably outspoken about the failings of Castro’s regime. Yet this is a eulogy of Cuba, its life of music, sex and the great friendships of those who elected to stay and fight for survival."
The Ravine, Nivaria Tejera, translated by Carol Maier (State University of New York, 2008). The publisher's blurb: "Set in the Canary Islands at the outset of the Spanish Civil War, The Ravine is the provocative, disturbing account of a child’s experience with war. Narrated by an unnamed seven-year-old girl, the story begins in the early days of the war when her father—a staunch supporter of the Republic—goes into hiding. As the girl and her family await news of his whereabouts, they learn he is taken prisoner, brought to trial, and eventually sentenced to forced labor in a concentration camp. Confused and bereft, they visit him in the camp, hoping he will be spared the firing squad and the subsequent burial in the ravine, a fate that befalls so many prisoners.
"Acclaimed since its original appearance in French in 1958, The Ravine has been published in several languages and remains the novel for which Nivaria Tejera is best known."
Regional Premiere A Musical by Oliver Goldstick Directed by Jeffrey Nickelson Featuring Rene Marie
An announcement from the Shadow Theater Company: "Suppose you'd been adorned the title Queen of the Blues and you are set to headline at the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas, except it is 1959 and the hotel management has reserved a special trailer out back, as blacks are forbidden from staying in the hotel. Grab your belongings and head for the door, Dinah Washington is about to enter the building! Always a lady but most often a diva, Dinah Washington had a unique way of getting in and out of trouble! Join us in celebrating the matchless music of Dinah Washington whose What A Difference A Day Makes is sure to bring down the house."
Performance Dates: April 24, 25, 26 and 27th, May 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17 , 18, 22, 23 and 24th April 24th, 25th, 26th and May 17th are sold out.
Performance Times: Thursday, Friday & Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday matinee at 3:00 pm
Location: 1468 Dayton Street, Aurora, CO 80010
Tickets: $25.00 To purchase tickets please call (866) 388-4TIX (4849) or order online Box office hours: 8 am - 4 pm Mon-Sun
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0 Comments on Got Poets? as of 4/19/2008 6:23:00 PM
ISABEL ALLENDE - APRIL 10 Award-winning novelist Isabel Allende will read from and sign her new book The Sum of Our Days(HarperCollins, 2008), the sequel to her bestselling memoir Paula. In this heartfelt memoir, Isabel Allende reconstructs the painful reality of her own life in the wake of tragic loss - the death of her daughter, Paula. Narrated with warmth, humor, exceptional candor, and wisdom, The Sum of Our Days is a portrait of a contemporary family, bound together by the love, fierce loyalty, and stubborn determination of a beloved, indomitable matriarch. Free tickets for the book signing will be available at 6:30 pm; one per person in line. Seating for the presentation prior to the book signing is limited, and available on a first-come, first-served basis to ticketed customers only.
NERUDA POETRY FESTIVAL - APRIL 17 - 19 Nationally recognized spoken-word artists join local word slingers for this annual rhythm and rhyme feast. Here's the schedule:
April 17 - Tributes toraulrsalinasandLalo Delgado, a reinterpretation of the words of these two writers by Su Teatro actors. 8:05 p.m.; $15 general, $12 seniors and students.
April 18 - Annual Barrio Slam; $500 Grand. 6:00 p.m. open mic, 7:00 p.m. slam; $10
April 19 - Literary Salon, in collaboration with El Lab at Belmar; 4:00 p.m.; $12 general, $9 seniors and students -- Taco Bar and poets!
April 19 - Palabras Vivas. FeaturingSandra Maria Esteves,Nuyorican Poets Cafe founder, visual artist, poet, author. 8:05 p.m.; $15 general, $12 seniors and students.
SWIFT JUSTICE DOCUMENTARY FUND RAISER - APRIL 10 Swift Justice tells the story of the families and community affected by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid at the Swift Meatpacking plant in Greeley, Colorado on Dec. 12, 2006. The film’s goal is to present the issue of immigration reform in a balanced and responsible way to educate and inform people about this complex issue so they can contribute toward solving it. Little Voice is an award-winning, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that uses video, technology and grassroots outreach to raise awareness of social issues and inspire positive social change. For reservations call Strings restaurant at 303-831-7310. Cocktails from 5:30-6:30; dinner from 5:00-10:00. Suggested $50-tax deductible donation. The night of the fundraiser, 10% of all dinner sales will be donated to Little Voice's Swift Justice Documentary. If you cannot come, please consider making a donation to Little Voice.
April 10, 2008 from 5:30pm - 8pm Strings at 1700 Humboldt St., Denver, Co.
The Ventura College Spring 2008 Arts and Lecture Series continues with a lecture with George Yepes, Cultural Artist on April 17 at 7:00 p.m. in the Second Floor Reading Room of the Library and Learning Resource Center on the Ventura College (Ventura, CA) campus.
The event is free, parking is $1 and refreshments will be served. For additional information, call the Public Relations Office, Ventura College, (805) 654-6462.
George Yepes was born in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. He moved to East Los Angeles at the age of four. He earned a degree from California State University, Los Angeles, in business administration, and joined the Public Art Center, leaving behind his hard street life and gang membership. He also took painting classes at East Los Angeles City College and worked both as an accountant and a muralist.
One of the more prolific painters in the Chicano Mural Movement of the late 70's, Yepes gained his early reputation as a ferocious painter when he painted with notables from Carlos Almaraz and Frank Romero to Gilbert "Magu" Lujan. He then became an instrumental partner in the mural group East Los Streetscapers from 1979 to 1985 until he decided that group painting wasn't suited to his temperament or pace. With grand scale and furious momentum Yepes has painted over 800,000 square feet of eloquent social, historical, and sacred images onto the facades of everything from churches, hospitals and freeway overpasses to album covers. His 28 murals are landmarks in Los Angeles, as are the 21 murals his Academia de Arte Yepes students have painted. Yepes established the Academia de Arte Yepes, the first free mural academy for young students in Los Angeles. Yepes has taught nearly 1500 low-income students over the last decade through the Academia. His mural painting concepts and designs continue to be studied by graduate students and scholars across the United States.
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0 Comments on Pedacitos de Abril as of 4/3/2008 11:34:00 PM
“Shannon-sama! Shannon-sama! Looky what Talitha-chan found! Hurry! Looky! It’s another video alert just like Gamepowa got!”
“Okay, okay, what did Hayashi find?”
“We were looking for music videos and found some pretty good ones.”
“Nice combo. That’s Tom Scott on tenor isn’t it?”
“Yeah! I got the CD with that same chart on it! I like how he uses the A-flat and B-flat keys to get those muted notes. I wish I could get those on tenor too. I can play them on alto, though. Did you see? The drummer has a drumset just like Leila-sama’s!”
“Jessica says Tom Scott wrote a television theme song.”
“Yeah?”
“He wrote the theme from Starsky and Hutch! It’s on one of his albums, and it’s on his ‘Best Of’ album too with Rock Island Rocket.”
“Wow, you’re really a big jazz fan, huh?”
“Jazz is the best, and I’m gonna learn all of Tom Scott’s solos ’cause they’re the best too.”
“Shannon-sama! Shannon-sama! Looky what Talitha-chan found! Hurry! Looky! It’s another video alert just like Gamepowa got!”
“Okay, okay, what did Hayashi find?”
“We were looking for music videos and found some pretty good ones.”
“Nice combo. That’s Tom Scott on tenor isn’t it?”
“Yeah! I got the CD with that same chart on it! I like how he uses the A-flat and B-flat keys to get those muted notes. I wish I could get those on tenor too. I can play them on alto, though. Did you see? The drummer has a drumset just like Leila-sama’s!”
“Jessica says Tom Scott wrote a television theme song.”
“Yeah?”
“He wrote the theme from Starsky and Hutch! It’s on one of his albums, and it’s on his ‘Best Of’ album too with Rock Island Rocket.”
“Wow, you’re really a big jazz fan, huh?”
“Jazz is the best, and I’m gonna learn all of Tom Scott’s solos ’cause they’re the best too.”
Martín Espada
"Federico's Ghost," the greatest middle finger in literature.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful post,
MP