Incorporating Chicano Poetry into the Study of Multiculturalism

Multicultural poetry is incomplete without the luster that is Chicano poetry. Authors like Gary Soto, Julia Alvarez, and Sandra Cisneros (to name a few), have crafted works that have become popular all over the United States. Their richness and reality comes alive in their poetry and proves that people from Latin countries have a voice.

When studying multiculturalism one must take into account all aspects of poetry and become familiar will all types of voices. Chicano poetry has taken a stand in literature today and many of these poems are being taught and shared in American classrooms. The essence of Chicano poetry focuses on immigration to America, identifying one self and accepting individuality, and assimilating to American traditions. Though much of Chicano poetry is based on the desire to �be like everyone else� much is also based on the overwhelming acceptance of being an individual in a country that accepts diversity.

Young adult readers tend to shy away from poetry in fear of misunderstanding the poem�s meaning. The great thing about poetry, however, is that most of it can be left up to personal interpretation. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to poetry. Multi-cultural poetry is key in teaching students the importance of finding a voice of their own. By reading poetry written by people from all around the world, students will be exposed to all types of voices and themes that poetry provides. It is by reading more of this poetry that young adults will soon find a voice of their own and learn to express it freely.

Annotated Bibliography

Alvarez, Julia. Homecoming. New York, NY: Penguin Books USA Inc., 1984.

The poem titled �Against Cinderella� in this anthology expresses the attitude of the poet towards falsehood and the absence of reality. Alvarez�s poetry speaks of truth and her work takes on a unique voice than many teenage girls can identify with, despite their cultural backgrounds.

Alvarez, Julia. The Woman I Kept To Myself. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Books of

Chapel Hill, 2004.

Here we are given both sides of this popular poet�s heritage: her childhood in the Dominican Republic and her adolescence in America. These poems portray Alvarez�s experiences with self-discovery and most of all self-acceptance. In the poem �All-American Girl� she proves that it doesn�t matter where you come from, we are all Americans and should be treated as such. It�s through her poetry that young adults can relate to their own struggles with self-acceptance.

Cisneros, Sandra. Loose Woman. New York, NY: Vintage Books, 1994.

Cisneros has such an incomparable and raw style, which makes her poetry like no other. Unlike her acclaimed novel The House on Mango Street, Cisneros� poetry is provocative and sensual. The themes in this anthology all relate to the power of being and woman and the poet�s own feminine embrace on love and life. Young girls will find it a fresh and passionate read that will evoke their own poetic talents to unfold.

Gonzalez, Ray. The Hearts of Arrivals. Brockport, NY: BOA Editions, Ltd, 1996.

Though most of the poems were written during his years in Colorado, Texas-born Ray Gonzalez wrote much of these works about his life in El Paso. Although some of the pieces are graphic in detail, like �These Days�, they tell the story of the reality of immigrants from all Latin countries. Young adults can appreciate the language and the richness of Gonzalez�s poetic style.

Gonzalez, Ray. (ed.) After Aztlan Latin Poets of the Nineties. Boston, MA: David R.

Godine, Publisher, Inc, 1992.

This is one of the first anthologies that contain work by Latino poets who write mostly in English. A compilation of poetry by Latino, Mestizo, and Puerto Rican poets make this collection one of a kind. With renowned authors like Gary Soto, Carmen Tafolla, and Juan Felipe Herrera, young readers can be exposed to a wide variety of Chicano experiences of immigrating to America. In Francisco Alarcon�s poem �Letter to America� we get a first-hand account of a Chicano adjusting to his new life in America. His style is to the point and easy to read. This anthology is essential to young adults in introducing multi-cultural poetry.

Herrera, Juan Felipe. Notebooks of a Chile Verde Smuggler. Tucson, AZ: The University

of Arizona Press, 2002.

This spectacular collection of poetry is rich in Chicano culture and traditions. Herrera�s poetry exhumes the dialect and slang of native Spanish speakers and his poems tell the true story of their struggles. �Immigrant Fortune Teller Machine� is filled with themes of identity and individuality. Teen immigrants will find comfort in Herrera�s truth and brilliance.

Soto, Gary. A Fire in my Hands. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc., 1990.

A vibrant and truthful telling of the American dream, Soto once again familiarizes his experiences growing up Mexican-American and makes it relate to all of us. Any teenager can relate to the pressure and the desire to be someone else. In his poem �Envying the Children of San Francisco� Soto describes the adjustment of being a Chicano in American and wanting to �fit in�.

Soto, Gary. Home Course in Religion. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 1991.

The poem �Saturday at the Canal� sums up the themes of the other pieces in this anthology. These poems reflect the experiences of his youth growing up with a Catholic background in a house with a drunk step-father. The work in this anthology shows the poet�s perspective on religion and family. Any teenager can relate to Soto�s poetry.

Soto, Gary. New and Selected Poems. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 1995.

In this compilation, Soto embraces his own experiences in California. They can be relevant to any teen whose family has overcome racial discrimination and learned to thrive in America. With poems like �Field Poem� the richness of immigrant life in American gains a voice.

Soto, Gary. One Kind of Faith. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 2003.

In this eye-opening collection we are taken into the inner-most feelings and struggles of the poet. From his reactions to girls in junior high to his struggles as a writer in the poem �Minimum Wage� we see a side of Gary Soto that is fresh and revealing. He is one of the most distinguished Chicano writers of our time and his poetry is an inspiration to young adults from all cultures of the world.

Suarez, Virgil. 90 Miles: Selected and New Poems. Pittsburg, PA: University of Pittsburg

Press, 2005.

Much like New and Selected Poems by Gary Soto, Suarez�s poetry is filled with the reality of migrant workers in America. In his poem �Cuban American Gothic� he uses the voice of a child to describe the labor-intensive jobs his parents did to take care of their family. Young adults will learn to appreciate the hard work many Latinos do everyday just to remain in the United States.