Poetry. This new collection by one of the most recognized Chicano poets presents a vivid portrait of the traditional, small-town New Mexico of his youth from the vantage point of a departed son who yearns for the integrity and coherence of that world. These deceptively simple story poems, vivid snapshots of remembered people and places, are punctuated by remarkable bilingual word play. Although they are genuinely Chicano, the poems address, with humor and insight, some of the central dilemmas of contemporary American life: tradition versus progress, belonging versus alienation, and self-fulfillment versus obligation.