Mixturao and Other Poems

By Tato Laviera

In the title poem of Tato Laviera's fifth poetry collection, "Mixturao," he celebrates the mix of diverse cultures and languages that make up America, and challenges those who advocate a monolingual... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1558855246
• ISBN13: 9781558855243
• Release Date: October 2008
• Publisher: Arte Publico Press
• Length: 73 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.4" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Mixturao - Straight On

Mixturao and Other PoemsTato Laviera is a quintessentially American poet. Perhaps Walt Whitman or Alan Ginsburg are apt comparisons in the uniqueness of voice. He yowls in pain and one may mistake its' intensity for lack of subtlety, but his great subtlety and mastery of the details of human experience are soon evident. His ambivalence, i.e., awareness of the complexity, even the paradoxical nature of all important human experiences,situations, that to understand any of the great issues, one must be prepared to hold onto, even espouse, contradictory opinions, is one of the more important contributions he makes to present day thought.The ability to hate and to love uncompromisingly is the source of our most creative and integrative strengths. Hate, in the author's world cuts away with laser intensity the diseased and sick rot of our existence,selves, with the truth of words, and love illuminates and nourishes the self so that it may be fully integrated in the community that is struggling to bring us together. This optimism and striving toward unity is a great attempt at a creative forging together of "American" and "Latino" cultures that runs throughout all his work. John A. Munoz, Ph.D.

Entertains as well as invokes thought in readers

America has no official language, and has never had one. "Mixturao: And Other Poems" is Tato Laviera's fifth collection of poetry. This volume is dedicated to celebrating the diverse and complex compilation that is America and its own unique language, which although still primarily English, embraces Spanish and other languages as times go by. "Mixturao" entertains as well as invokes thought in readers, recommended.