“Puerto Rico” by Victor Hernández Cruz (2017)

This poem juxtaposes Puerto Rico’s history and culture with three generations of Cruz’s family. In the poem, he reflects on his mother’s past, her triumphs, fears, loves, and other things like her cooking and singing. He reflects on his growing son, his first loves, and his embrace of culture. The poem bounces back and forth between English and Spanish, with Cruz referencing numerous Puerto Rican historical and artistic figures, as well as Puerto Rican foods, dances, and music. The poem concludes with a focus on the way the past fades away into the present.

“Latin & Soul” by Victor Hernández Cruz (2001)

This poem is dedicated to singer Joe Bataan, and demonstrates Cruz’s focus on irregular free verse structure—a direct influence from the Beat writers he read in his youth. The poem focuses on music and attempts to replicate the movement of the music through its enjambment, lack of punctuation, and pacing. The poem also embodies some surreal imagery, also echoing Cruz’s Beat influences. The poem is useful for seeing how varied Cruz’s writing can be: For example, this poem contains no Spanish, humor, or irony, yet the imagery and tangible sensory details still dominate the lines.