Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction to the Poems Francisco X. Alarcón xiii
Preparing the Tongue 1
I One Man's Name: Colonization of the Poetic, i. 5
Sundays after Breakfast: A Lesson in Speech 6
Bluing the Linens 7
Las Lenguas 8
Summer 9
One Man's Name: Colonization of the Poetic, ii. 11
A Meal for the Tribe 12
One Man's Name: Colonization of the Poetic, iii. 13
Yellow Bird 14
Little Mexican Pot 15
Turnips 16
Babies under the House 17
One Man's Name: Colonization of the Poetic, iv. 19
One Man's Name: Colonization of the Poetic, v. 20
Roosters: Homecoming 21
Esperanza Tells Her Friends the Story of La Llorona 22
Ode to El Cabrito 24
Stray Cat 25
How I Put Myself through School 26
Morning Praise of Nightmares, one 27
Morning Praise of Nightmares, two 28
II Sundays after Breakfast: A Lesson in Cotton Picking 33
Put Attention 35
One Man's Name: Colonization of the Poetic, vi. 36
Breasts 37
Ode to My Boots 38
Ode to a Skein of Red Embroidery Thread 39
One Man's Name: Colonization of the Poetic, vii. 40
Wooden Box 41
Black Hat 42
One Man's Name: Colonization of the Poetic, viii. 44
Mr. G's Collection 45
Cocooning 47
Babies under the Skin 48
Pinedale, CA 49
Like Jesus 50
When I Made Eggs This Morning 51
Stones 52
My Mother Woke a Rooster 54
My Mother Asks to Be Cremated 55
My Mother Will Take a Lover 56
Ancient Algebra 57
One Man's Name: Colonization of the Poetic, ix. 58
The Alchemy of Mothering 59
Early Words for My Son 60
On Blinding 61
Birth Day 62
Notes 65