Herrera p.141
“It just occurred to me, he is listening to crap talk---he is writing! The tattoo woman writes a few rows back. The guy in front cracks a notebook-stapled report. We are all writing poetry.”
In this quote, Herrera is saything that everythat we write is poetry. No matter how insignificant the wiriting seems to be, everything is poetry. Most people do not realize this, and just throw their writing aside.
Herrera p. 147
The whole “Letania para Jose Burciaga”
I really found this interesting. This whole poem is in Spanish. I do not know how mnay readers of this book also speak Spanish, but I am guessing it is not a lot. Most of the readers cannot read this poem at all, yet he still puts it in. For what reason?
Monday, May 21, 2007
Friday, May 18, 2007
chile 5
Herrera p.125
“Down there, by your house.
The night is wet with victims,
year in year out.”
This quote ended a poem that really demonstrated the violence that there is where Herrera lives. There is violence everywhere, right where he lives, nonstop. His wife’s brother was killed in one of these violent acts. There are victims being made all the time.
Herrera p. 128
“Three roses pomade, stiff khakis, greased head, levis as hard as ceramic pants, cardboard boxes instead of suitcases…”
I really liked this quote because of how simply it describes himself, yet how strong an image you get. HE is poor, so he must use cardboard boxes instead of suitcases. He has that tight, strict look to him. After all, he is a warrior for the Aztlan Liberation Army
“Down there, by your house.
The night is wet with victims,
year in year out.”
This quote ended a poem that really demonstrated the violence that there is where Herrera lives. There is violence everywhere, right where he lives, nonstop. His wife’s brother was killed in one of these violent acts. There are victims being made all the time.
Herrera p. 128
“Three roses pomade, stiff khakis, greased head, levis as hard as ceramic pants, cardboard boxes instead of suitcases…”
I really liked this quote because of how simply it describes himself, yet how strong an image you get. HE is poor, so he must use cardboard boxes instead of suitcases. He has that tight, strict look to him. After all, he is a warrior for the Aztlan Liberation Army
umm...chile 4?
Herrera p.74
“Snipped chicken head x chopped cactus + fried pork eye = Diploma”
In this quote, Herrera is saying how useless a diploma is. He adds three crappy things up to make a diploma. He thinks that diplomas are worthless.
Herrera p. 90
“When I read the poem on my way to teach my prison workshop I knew this was a poem. No publisher. No price necessary. No pages numbered. No sales clerk. No one waiting to see the poem or ever hear the poem. But, it was loudest poem, the most magnetic.”
I really liked this quote because Herrera defines what makes a good poem. He throws out all of the things that people think makes a poem good, and starts all over. A good poem is not about fans, or making money, or being famous. I real poem is wrote to be written, not to be heard.
“Snipped chicken head x chopped cactus + fried pork eye = Diploma”
In this quote, Herrera is saying how useless a diploma is. He adds three crappy things up to make a diploma. He thinks that diplomas are worthless.
Herrera p. 90
“When I read the poem on my way to teach my prison workshop I knew this was a poem. No publisher. No price necessary. No pages numbered. No sales clerk. No one waiting to see the poem or ever hear the poem. But, it was loudest poem, the most magnetic.”
I really liked this quote because Herrera defines what makes a good poem. He throws out all of the things that people think makes a poem good, and starts all over. A good poem is not about fans, or making money, or being famous. I real poem is wrote to be written, not to be heard.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
chile 3
Herrera p. 69
“My mother published a thousand poems and a thousand songs in the quiet air of our house. Recitals were held at any given moment, unexpectedly, during a pause in a dry conversation, or just during the day.”
This quote was one of my favorite quotes because once again he talks about poems and writing, not as formal pieces of work, but as anything with words. I really like how he say that his mom published these works, when she only said or sang them. She was not even singing to other people, just to herself.
Herrera p. 69
“A women asked me what writers influenced me, who did I read? I said, my mother.”
This quote is connected to my first quote. They both talk about his mother being a writer. He says that his mother is that writer who influenced him, because he sees how everything that she says is like a poem, and that is what he grew up to.
“My mother published a thousand poems and a thousand songs in the quiet air of our house. Recitals were held at any given moment, unexpectedly, during a pause in a dry conversation, or just during the day.”
This quote was one of my favorite quotes because once again he talks about poems and writing, not as formal pieces of work, but as anything with words. I really like how he say that his mom published these works, when she only said or sang them. She was not even singing to other people, just to herself.
Herrera p. 69
“A women asked me what writers influenced me, who did I read? I said, my mother.”
This quote is connected to my first quote. They both talk about his mother being a writer. He says that his mother is that writer who influenced him, because he sees how everything that she says is like a poem, and that is what he grew up to.
Monday, May 14, 2007
intro
In “The Swimmer” by Raymond Carver and “Are These Actual Miles” by John Cheever, the narrators have similar problems that they have to deal with. They are both living in the same suburban life. Both stories are about a man who has problems with his life. These problems are connected to life in suburbia
chchchile 2
Herrera p. 58
“You are the paper, oyeme, Mamita, you are the words, you. Not me. Look at yourself put the words on paper – You.”
This paper is saying how he feels about his writing. Since he is writing about his mother, he is telling her that is is her that decides what the story is about, and what happens. She is like a book herself, or at least that is how Herrera sees her.”
Herrera p. 39
“Corporate handshake molds. Camouflage wedding rings.”
In this entry, he is just saying what seems like random things. I did not understand the message that he was trying to convey, and I say little use in reading a random assortment of words in which I could find no meaning. I did, however, find two lines that I really felt were interesting. The first, makes me think of how in corporate world, it all about handshakes. Its not all about handshakes, but that is one thing that seems to mean noting, but it s actually a way that many people judge others. And the mold part, it says to me how there I a mold in which everyone in coroporate world puts there hand before a handshake. The second quote, I liked because of how it is an oxymoron almost. A wedding ring is to show that you are married, so why would you try to hide it? It would be more practical to just take it off. I don’t know, probably stupid, but just my thoughts, which look better in my head then on paper.
“You are the paper, oyeme, Mamita, you are the words, you. Not me. Look at yourself put the words on paper – You.”
This paper is saying how he feels about his writing. Since he is writing about his mother, he is telling her that is is her that decides what the story is about, and what happens. She is like a book herself, or at least that is how Herrera sees her.”
Herrera p. 39
“Corporate handshake molds. Camouflage wedding rings.”
In this entry, he is just saying what seems like random things. I did not understand the message that he was trying to convey, and I say little use in reading a random assortment of words in which I could find no meaning. I did, however, find two lines that I really felt were interesting. The first, makes me think of how in corporate world, it all about handshakes. Its not all about handshakes, but that is one thing that seems to mean noting, but it s actually a way that many people judge others. And the mold part, it says to me how there I a mold in which everyone in coroporate world puts there hand before a handshake. The second quote, I liked because of how it is an oxymoron almost. A wedding ring is to show that you are married, so why would you try to hide it? It would be more practical to just take it off. I don’t know, probably stupid, but just my thoughts, which look better in my head then on paper.
Friday, May 11, 2007
chile!!! 1
Herrera p. 5
"Ok, Mom. Just put your foot in this pan of hot water. Hold the toe up, Juan, come on. Ok, now, give me that razor. What razor? Your papi's brand new Gillette. It's not brand nweww, Mama. 'S OK, the hot water and the salt will burn the germs."
I found this quote very interesting. Its from the beggining of the story, and he gives no context about this short entry. He does not use quotations to seprate what him and his mama are saying. He does not seperate it at all. I found this style very interesting.
Herrera p. 8
"I drop my burdens from my lungs that fill them. I drop my burdens from my stomach that knots them. I drop my burdens from my body that holds them."
I really liked this quote becuase it reminded me of a chant. It is much longer that this, but every other line is "i drop my burdens" this makes it seem like a spiritual song. i find Herrera's stlye of writing like this very creative, and effective.
"Ok, Mom. Just put your foot in this pan of hot water. Hold the toe up, Juan, come on. Ok, now, give me that razor. What razor? Your papi's brand new Gillette. It's not brand nweww, Mama. 'S OK, the hot water and the salt will burn the germs."
I found this quote very interesting. Its from the beggining of the story, and he gives no context about this short entry. He does not use quotations to seprate what him and his mama are saying. He does not seperate it at all. I found this style very interesting.
Herrera p. 8
"I drop my burdens from my lungs that fill them. I drop my burdens from my stomach that knots them. I drop my burdens from my body that holds them."
I really liked this quote becuase it reminded me of a chant. It is much longer that this, but every other line is "i drop my burdens" this makes it seem like a spiritual song. i find Herrera's stlye of writing like this very creative, and effective.
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