Poems from the Rio Grande - Chicana and Chicano Visions of the Americas Series

Publisher Marketing: Readers of Rudolfo Anaya s fiction know the lyricism of his prose, but most do not know him as a poet. In this, his first collection of poetry, Anaya presents twenty-eight of his best poems, most of which have never before been published. Featuring works written in English and Spanish over the course of three decades, "Poems from the Rio Grande "offers readers a full body of work showcasing Anaya s literary and poetic imagination. Although the poems gathered here take a variety of forms haiku, elegy, epic all are imbued with the same lyrical and satirical styles that underlie Anaya s fiction. Together they make a fascinating complement to the novels, stories, and plays for which he is well known. In verse, Anaya explores every aspect of Chicano identity, beginning with memories of his childhood in a small New Mexico village and ending with mature reflections on being a Chicano who considers himself connected to all peoples. The collection articulates the themes at the heart of all Anaya s work: nostalgia for the landscape and customs of his boyhood in rural New Mexico, a deep connection to the Rio Grande, the politics of Chicanismo and satire aimed at it, and the use of myth and history as metaphor. Anaya also illustrates his familiarity with world traditions of poetry, invoking Walt Whitman, Homer, and the Bible. The poem to Isis that concludes the collection honors Anaya s wife, Patricia, and reflects his increasing identification with spiritual traditions across the globe. Both "profeta" and "vato," seer and homeboy, Anaya as author is a citizen of the world. "Poems from the Rio Grande "offers readers a glimpse into his development as a poet and as one of the most celebrated Chicano authors of our time." Review Citations:

Booklist 08/01/2015 pg. 18 (EAN 9780806148663, Paperback)

Contributor Bio:  Anaya, Rudolfo A Rudolfo A. Anaya is the widely acclaimed author of more than a dozen novels exploring Hispanic life and culture in New Mexico and the Southwest. His books include Bless Me, Ultima, Heart of Aztlan, Zia Summer; and Jalamanta. a professor emeritus of English at the University of New Mexico where he taught for thirty years, he lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Contributor Bio:  Con Davis-Undiano, Robert Robert Con Davis-Undiano is Executive Director of "World Literature Today" magazine and Neustadt Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of Oklahoma.