My Book of the Dead: New Poems

By Ana Castillo

For more than thirty years, Ana Castillo has been mesmerizing and inspiring readers from all over the world with her passionate and fiery poetry and prose. Now the original Xicanista is back to her first literary love, poetry, and to interrogating the social and political upheaval the world has seen over the last decade. Angry and sad, playful and wise, Castillo delves into the bitter side of our world—the environmental crisis, COVID-19, ongoing systemic racism and violence, children in detention camps, and the Trump presidency—and emerges stronger from exploring these troubling affairs of today. Drawings by Castillo created over the past five years are featured throughout the collection and further showcase her connection to her work as both a writer and a visual artist. My Book of the Dead is a remarkable collection that features a poet at the height of her craft.

• Language: English
• Publisher: High Road Books
• Release date: Sep 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9780826363206

Ana Castillo

Ana Castillo is a celebrated poet, novelist, short story writer, essayist, editor, playwright, translator, and scholar. Born and raised in Chicago, her award winning, bestselling titles include the novels So Far from God, The Guardians, Peel My Love like an Onion, and Sapogonia, which was a New York Times Notable Book, and the poetry collection I Ask the Impossible. She has received numerous awards, including the 2018 PEN Oakland Lifetime Achievement Award, the Fuller Award for Lifetime Achievement, and was inducted into the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame.

Book preview

MY BOOK OF THE DEAD

Ana Castillo

MY BOOK OF THE DEAD

new poems

High Road Books is an imprint of the University of New Mexico Press

© 2021 by Ana Castillo

All rights reserved. Published 2021

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN 978-0-8263-6319-0 (cloth)

ISBN 978-0-8263-6320-6 (e-book)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021937812

Founded in 1889, the University of New Mexico sits on the traditional homelands of the Pueblo of Sandia. The original peoples of New Mexico—Pueblo, Navajo, and Apache—since time immemorial have deep connections to the land and have made significant contributions to the broader community statewide. We honor the land itself and those who remain stewards of this land throughout the generations and also acknowledge our committed relationship to Indigenous peoples. We gratefully recognize our history.

Cover photograph: (top) adapted from photograph by on Unsplash, (middle) adapted from photograph by Artur Kornakov on Unsplash, (bottom) adapted from photograph by Teemu Paananen on Unsplash.

Designed by Felicia Cedillos

Composed in Adobe Caslon Pro 10.25/14.25

In memory of the dead,

and to all the survivors,

including our beloved Mother Earth.

May the gods heed our prayers.

Contents

Acknowledgments

PART I

A Storm upon Us

Tell Me to Live for Something

Hache ¡Presente!

The Reflection

Algo de ti (An Ekphrastic Exercise)

Something About You (An Ekphrastic Exercise)

Translation by Sylvia Mullally with Ana Castillo

What Is Your Writing Process?

When Snow Turns to Rain and It Is Still Winter

Mass Shootings (2016 to 2019 and Counting)

If I Pray

Homage to Akilah

Two Men and Me

Othering

Gotas caían en el techo

Drops Fell on the Roof

Translation by Tyehimba Jess with Ana Castillo

Everybody Wanted Everything

White Buffalo Calf Woman

PART II

How to Tell You Are Living under Rising Fascism (A Basic Primer in Progress)

Eyes, Heart, and Mind: Take Action

Soy la muxe juchiteca

I, Muxe Juchiteca

Translation by Ana Castillo

P.S. Bittersweet

Whitman

Tantrum

Cat’s Mad Lick

A Francisco X.

For Francisco X.

Translation by Julieta Corpus with Ana Castillo

Fun House of Muted Desires

When Myra Had Enough

Click (Simple Present)

Insomnia

Insomnia

Translation by Sara Solaimani

Cancer Poem

Mierda

These Times

PART III

On the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Black Panther Party

Xicanisma Prophecies Post 2012: Putin’s Puppet

Detention

Lamento

Lament

Translation by Sara Solaimani with Ana Castillo

By the End of the Twenty-First Century When

A Amazônia está queimando

The Goldfish Went Missing

Florinda se fue al cielo

Florinda Went to Heaven

Translated by Ana Castillo

Pande . . . monium

Wednesday Night in the Boogie Down Bronx

My Book of the Dead

Notes

Acknowledgments

Thanks to the following journals in which some of these poems previously appeared:

American Academy of Poets: A Amazônia está queimando

Chiricu Journal: Latina/o Literatures, Arts, and Cultures: "Xicanisma

Prophecies Post 2012: Putin’s Puppet"

Curriculum and Pedagogy: A Amazônia está queimando

Fifth Wednesday Journal: A Storm upon Us and Two Men and Me

Hypertext Review: A Storm upon Us and Homage to Akilah

Puro Chicanx Writers of the 21st Century: "Xicanisma Prophecies Post

2012: Putin’s Puppet and Two Men and Me"

Resisting Arrest: When Snow Turns to Rain and It Is Still Winter

Weber: The Conemporary West: Algo de ti (An Ekphrastic Exercise)

For generously assisting with translation from Spanish to English, I thank Julieta Corpus, Tyehimba Jess, Sylvia E. Mullally, and Sara Solaimani. Also, I thank those who looked at early versions of poems, especially Marcelo Castillo, Randy P. Conner, Electra Gamón Fielding, and Brenda Romero.

At home, I am grateful to Eddie M. Rodríguez, whose constant love, care, and support of all my endeavors see me through each day.

PART I

A Storm upon Us

In memory of John Trudell, written upon the occasion of his crossing over

A storm is coming. It is on the horizon.

It has traveled far, fast, wide, and