Comments on: Tony Robles, ‘Filipino Building Maintenance Company’ (Poor Press Publications, 2009)

By: Tara Betts

Tara Betts — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:56:26 +0000

This made me think about how literary lineages are created. I usually find myself thinking about how one writer influences another and that one influences the next, but to think about how that occurs in the same family is interesting too.

Thanks for sharing “Loss Prevention” and the multi-faceted sides of Tony Robles’ work. Too often it is assumed that poets are only reading, writing, and promoting their work in pursuit of rewards. There are MANY poets who are doing all that and working service to various communities. I really appreciate and respect that.
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By: tiny

tiny — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 06:13:41 +0000

thx for doing this deep and thoughtful review- thx mentioning the silenced voices of workers and survivors!!!-
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By: Allen Gaborro

Allen Gaborro — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:48:34 +0000

Tony is an unforgettable figure in Bay Area poetry circles. His poetry is pointed and vibrant. It also offers a vivid narrative of the lives of the unprivileged and minority parts of society. I consider Tony to be a true artist and compassionate human being. Anything I can say about him can never convey his poetic depth and social commitment.
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By: Edwin Torres

Edwin Torres — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:12:49 +0000

Well said Barbara…I think this blog is a fabulous resource for what poetry is to each poet. The way of the poet, as complex and varied as humanity’s imprint on each poem. I would imagine there’s no need to defend voice in a forum as wide as this one. Not only grateful to be included but to be heard. Onward…
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By: Terreson

Terreson — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:11:20 +0000

You bet, Margo B. I found the lecture online almost ten years ago and go back to it from time to time. Such beauty and truth. And fair enough, Barbara Jane Reyes. As I said I appreciate and admire the use to which you are putting the space.

Terreson
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By: Barbara Jane Reyes

Barbara Jane Reyes — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:04:51 +0000

Terreson I think you will find my voice in my own poetry books and my own blog. Seriously, I do not see my role here on Harriet as advertising myself, as a platform for myself to hear myself speak about myself. I believe if you look at what I am saying about all of these other poets and their work, who they write for, what they write about, what they do with language and line, you will see what my poetic concerns are, what I believe poetry does, what I believe is important in poetry. I believe also that if you see how I am using this Harriet space to call readers’ attention to poets they’d otherwise not know much or anything about, you will see that this is also something very important about my poetry and poetic concerns.
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By: Margo Berdeshevsky

Margo Berdeshevsky — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 09:07:39 +0000

Thank you so much for the link to the Neruda lecture, Terreson. A treasure to read it in the context of this week’s forest of responses.

margo
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By: Terreson

Terreson — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 04:34:46 +0000

So, Barbara Jane Reyes, I’m going to risk something here. Six or so blogs later and I still don’t have a sense of what you think in the poetry way. Most often you boost the poetry of others, mostly men poets, mostly Filipino-Americans. I appreciate and admire that perhaps you are using the platform to speak for poets outside the mainstream, whatever the mainstream really is. (Trust me. You don’t have to be a hyphenated American to be outside poetry’s mainstream.) But what do you think? What is your approach to poetry? What is your poetry way?

As for what is essentially political in poetry Neruda said it best in his Nobel lecture.
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1971/neruda-lecture.html

Toward a splendid city indeed. Then there is the story of the CIA backed junta that took down Allende’s democratically elected government. Pinochet sent out a squadron of soldiers to arrest Neruda in his sea coast house. The old poet was dieing by then and bed ridden and they sent out a whole squadron to arrest an old man. When the soldiers broke in, found the poet in his bed, he said back to them, “There is nothing here to fear except for poetry.” The captain and his soldiers immediately exited.

So what’s your take? What’s your voice?

Terreson
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By: csperez

csperez — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 18:39:34 +0000

i remember when he read at UC berkeley. he came straight from work and was still wearing his ‘security’ uniform. awesome work & great post.

c
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By: Mark

Mark — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 14:38:13 +0000

Another great post, Barbara. I just spent yesterday talking poetry at the National Labor College in Maryland and Tony’s work sounds like it would be perfect for trade union workshops & classes –UNITE HERE members, Buildings & Trades unionists, Wobs trying to organize the baristas, etc. I’m about to forward your post to several labor educators who might use Tony’s book and will use it myself in workplace writing workshops. Thanks for spreading the word.
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By: Randall Mann

Randall Mann — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 14:04:11 +0000

BJR,

Another lovely, thoughtful posting on the politics of our poetry, the poetry of our politics. Your voice is a vital one here on Harriet. Keep it up.

–Randall Mann
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By: Jude

Jude — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 08:31:44 +0000

I wish I was in America to celebrate our community’s story and its creative historians! Great piece!
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