Synopses & Reviews
Large volume of poetry, American Book Award Winner
Review
"Vividly, the poetic power of
The Concrete River casts the reader soul-first into the poignant presence of father and children, into the furious heat of steel factory work, and finally into the eyes of the poet which are necessary in order to see 'the first light coming into view.' Rodriguez shows us that light."
—Simon J. Ortiz
Review
"Rodriguez speaks . . . with a voice that comes not so much from the chest as the belly; we need to hear what he has to say."
—Larry Weintraub, Chicago Sun-Times
Review
"The poetry is of the barrio yet stubbornly refuses to be confined in it—Rodriguez's perceptive gaze and storyteller's gift transport his world across neighborhood boundaries."
—Publisher's Weekly
Synopsis
1991 PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Award for Literary Excellence
The Concrete River is a collection of poems by poet laureate of Los Angeles Luis Rodriguez. They illuminate the gritty idiosyncrasies of immigrant life in urban barrios spanning Los Angeles to Chicago to Harlem. Rodriguez lends powerful voices to those struggling to keep the gas on, to find work, and to keep love. Populated by a vibrant cast of characters, ranging from the drugged, to the eccentric, to the heartbroken, Rodriguez's poems protest capitalism, violence, and exploitation while reveling in the potential of compassion.
Synopsis
Large volume of poetry, American Book Award Winner.
About the Author
Award-winning author Luis J. Rodríguez was born in El Paso, Texas and grew up in Watts and East L.A. Later he lived in Chicago for some years, where he was active in political and cultural life and founded Tía Chucha Press. He has published 8 critically acclaimed books in various genres (poetry, memoir, fiction, essays, and children's literature).
Table of Contents
I. Prelude to a Heartbeat
Watts Bleeds
The Coldest Day
Deathwatch
Tía Chucha
Speaking with Hands
Night Dancing
Soundtracks
II. Dancing on a Grave
Dancing on a Grave
The Village
Chota
Writhing Skeletons
The Conrete River
The Best of Us
The Threshold
The Twenty-Ninth
The Rooster Who Thought It Was a Dog
III. Always Running
Always Running
Columbian Star
Waiting
Black Mexican
The Bull's Eye Inn
Don't Read that Poem!
Jarocho Blues
Lips
IV. Music of the Mill
Music of the Mill
Jesús Saves
The Blast Furnace
Carrying My Tools
Heavy Tells a Story
First Day of Work
They Come to Dance
Bethlehem No More
V. A Harvest of Eyes
A Harvest of Eyes
The Quest for Flight
The News You Don't Get at Home
City of Angels
Mean Streets
Every Road
Chained Time
Don't Go Gentle Into that Good Expressway
Every Breath, a Prayer
This Tree, this Poem
Then Comes a Day
VI. Glossary of Spanish/Caló Terms