This poem was originally published in the spring 2014 edition of Concho River Review. Puhahabitu* The People knew about the truth In ways we only vaguely see; No man can point it out to us No priest retains the needed keys. Its power dwells where each believes That truth resides;…
My poem “The Ghost of the Moon” has been accepted for publication in the 2015 Texas Poetry Calendar (from the great Dos Gatos Press).
This poem originally appeared in the Spring 2014 edition of Interstice. The Serpent in My Eye I still recall the day it uncoiled its glassy shaft upon the world as I dashed down the alley— a crooked snake that twined at the edge of things, floating away from my focus,…
This poem originally appeared in the Spring 2014 edition of Interstice. Beer Bottles My grandfather Manny Garza Had three loves: Golf, beer, and Green-eyed girls (Hence his marriage To my grandmother And their later divorce). But of these three, The greatest was beer. When I was barely a toddler He’d…
Tanabata is a Japanese star festival derived from the similar Chinese celebration of Qixi. Meaning “seventh night,” Tanabata marks the yearly reunion in late summer or early fall of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi (Weaver Princess and Boy Star), which correspond to the stars Vega and Altair. In the mythology…
I am delighted to announce that my first collection of original poetry, Shattering and Bricolage, has been accepted for publication by Ink Brush Press. The book should be out before the end of the year.
Bussokusekika is a rare form of Japanese poetry that consists of six lines written in a 5-7-5-7-7-7 mora pattern. Arising during the Nara period, the form had essentially died out by the Heian period. For centuries, the only existing examples were the twenty one poems inscribed beside the stone Buddha…
On Thursday April 24, I had the pleasure of attending El Retorno: Celebrando a Nuestra Gloria, a yearly event honoring the work and ideas of Gloria Anzaldúa. During the celebration I began mentally composing a brief elegy in Nahuatl in honor of her important work. Here it is, with a…
Li Bai, also known as Li Po, was arguably the greatest poet of China’s Tang dynasty, and possibly of all its history. His verse is notable for the strong voice and personality it reflects, uncommon in the 8th century. An accomplished martial artist and academic genius, Li Bai was also…
A zen monk from a humble background, Iio Sōgi became one of the most respected poets of 15th-century Japan, lauded by major figures and followed by a crowd of students. We may realizethat people are merely dreams:the house abandoned,its wild garden becomes hometo a swarm of butterflies. —translated by David…
