Francisco Aragón is the author of, Puerta del Sol (Bilingual Press) and editor of The Wind Shifts: New Latino Poetry (University of Arizona Press). His poems and translations (from the Spanish) have appeared in various anthologies and journals. The founding editor of Momotombo Press, he directs Letras Latinas—the literary program of the Institute for Latino Studies at the University of Notre Dame. Read his article about The Wind Shifts at: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/journal/feature.html?id=179900 .
Love Poem by Francisco Aragón
Just let the San Andreas
stay put, keeping this tunnel
intact, enough to amble
out of it, past Louie’s Dim
Sum a Saturday afternoon,
breeze detectable off
the bay—visible in the distance,
carrying with it the smells
of open air markets:
crab freshly caught
and seahorses piled
in bins along Stockton...
or Jack, strolling out of the tube
connecting Polk Gulch
and North Beach—on his way
to Aquatic Park to spread
the Sporting Green
on his favorite patch of grass...
He is ferrying the portable
radio to his ear
listening for the count
in the bottom of the ninth
at Candlestick,
begins to smooth
the pages with his palms
before he sitsto keep it dry:
the split seat of his pants
for Jack Spicer (1925–1965)
© 2004, Francisco Aragón
This poem first appeared in Jacket #26.
The reading features an introduction by The Latino Writers Collective, based in the Kansas City metropolitan area, organizes and coordinates projects for the larger community, especially to showcase national and local Latino writers and provide role models and instruction to Latino youth. Its mission is to foster an environment where the voices of Latino students, blue collar workers, professionals, and homemakers can finally be heard, sharing their experience and vision with a broad audience. Performing embers of the Collective include José Faus; Linda Rodriguez; Maria Vazquez Boyd; Gabriela M. Lemmons; and Gloria Martinez Adams. Work by members of the Collective appears in the recently published anthology, Primera Pagina.
