Narrative poetry tells a story. It combines elements like characters, setting, and plot with poetic devices and forms to do so. Espada tells stories drawn from his own experience in poems like “Of the Threads that Connect the Stars.”

He has taught his students that narrative poetry doesn’t have to be linear or even rooted in realism “as long as the images are startling or arresting” and that “their lives are the stuff of poetry” (Thompson, Gabriel. “Against Oblivion: Martín Espada on his Life in Poetry.” 2018. Poetry Foundation). Both lessons are evident in his work, particularly in the specific details and voice.

Espada also gives voice to the stories of others in his poetry —particularly those who have been ignored or silenced. As a storyteller, he has said his intention is to “communicate clearly, and this means there will be some attempt at explanation. This is especially true if I am telling a story that comes from a cultural, political, or historical experience outside the ‘mainstream’ experience of many readers” (Masciotra, David. “Poet Martín Espada: ‘The Imagination is Absolutely Critical to Political Activism.