Sometimes, a poem is a response to another poem or a poet responding to another poet. This poem is in response to Lemn Sissay’s “Some Things I Like,” upon his calling attention to the undervalued, the unpolished, and rejected, where he closes with an imperative for the reader to “see.” This poem delivers a raw portrayal of societal decay, juxtaposed with hope, and sharp, vivid imagery to highlight a world filled with brokenness and contradiction. 

This poem describes a view of the landscape beyond a highway, where fields and fences create a patchwork pattern across the land. I am writing to compare this landscape to quilts that pioneer women once made.

This poem captures a personal moment of camaraderie and the innocence of my growing up—a subtlety and depth juxtaposing the almost magical skill of a young golfer with the gentle humor of a father’s endearing misunderstanding, all within the familiar setting of our hometown golf course.

A small poem of stillness and beauty, reflecting upon an observation of human achievement and natural splendor with the Presidential Palace of Panamá.

What drives someone to embrace danger? I suspect that some risk life and limb for fleeting glory. I’ve always been mesmerized by BASE jumpers, diving off structure only to parachute to safety.  How do we reconcile the beauty and possible brutality of such moments? In Mexico, one adrenaline-filled activity is a Mexican rodeo called jaripeo, which I would argue is even more dangerous than American bull riding. All of these activities challenge us to reflect on the human spirit's relentless pursuit of thrill and the stirring realities that often accompany it.

A poem reflecting on the words of apologist Russ Miller and his approach to scoffers and skeptics. When science looks outward into space or inward, such as in particle physics, we rediscover our universe's complexity and infinite nature.

A small poem capturing the nuances of balancing professional responsibilities with personal well-being.

This poem puts on display Mexican culture and the symbolism and importance of the donkey, or burro, within it. The idea here is to explore the themes of tradition and resilience and empathy, using the image of the burro as a powerful symbol. I wanted the reader to have a very imagistic experience - imagery of blankets and peddled goods and the burden of a hooved beast during the hustle and bustle of market days and the resilience of the people who rely on these animals for their livelihoods.

With an avid outdoor lifestyle, one takes note of nature's rhythms and patterns, which I’ve tried to incorporate into this “onomatopoeic” poem. Onomatopoeia is a literary device in which words imitate the natural sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to, in this case, the sounds of rain, of weather, of a rainstorm.

I have always been drawn to the Ode poetic formation since long ago discovering Neruda’s works, such as an ode to Salt or Watermelon or Socks, and realizing that when you enter one of these poems, you find yourself in the center of a surrealist tempest. This ode is written to express deep feelings for an object, and its value lies in its ability to convey intense emotions and celebrate beauty.

About a year before the COVID pandemic, I had spent time in Paris, France. It’s a carefree memory, full of experiences in art and culture, history, and so on. I am reminded how light and ethereal the world was then, and how regulated the daily lives of some are now due to the pandemic. I thought of the Rhoneeau as a great poetic form well-suited for expressing my emotions here.

 In the heart of Pacific Mexican beauty, category 5 Hurricane Otis just unleashed a tempest of despair and destruction on Acapulco, but a different storm rages in the hearts of those left behind – the rage of a government’s faltering response to the crisis.

Emphasizing humility and wonder, this is a poem about the interconnectedness of our universe, highlighting how everything, including us, is part of a grand symphony of existence.

One thing that makes poetry special is the ability to capture, communicate, and honor the simple, sometimes missed opportunities inside everyday observations in life. Within this context, culture is right there, offering this reflection, acting as a mirror reflecting norms and experiences that are full of richness, full of human experience, memory, and routine.

I love the richness of the English language, especially the use of metaphor in comparing two totally unrelated things to provide you and me, as part of the audience, with a vivid image or expression. This poem employs the Ghazel poetic form, whose roots lie in 7th-century Arabia, later adopted by medieval Persian poets. This particular form borrows from one of my favorite poets, Robert Bly, fashioning five tercets.

Have you ever noticed how few in the world now look to our heavenly skies, instead, preoccupied with screens and streams? This poem relies on interior rhyme schemes and specific rhetorical devices to emphasize unplugging and “looking up.”

This is a quotidian poem on a past experience of discovering our family’s ranch house kitchen door breached by migrants along the Texas-Mexico border.