Page 42 - Shahrvand BC No.1223
P. 42
English Section
So here we have it Poet’s Kinship With the President 42
Whatever is reported by the mainstream Richard Blanco has been chosen as the 2013 inaugural poet. 42
media, the goal of this new war is no
other than stripping yet another country By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
of its natural resources by securing the Published: January 8, 2013
access of international corporations to
do it. What is being done now in Mali WASHINGTON — From the moment strong stand against Fidel Castro. a prestigious literary award for a 1391 نمهب6 جمعه- 1223 شماره/ سال متسیب
through bombs and bullets is being Barack Obama burst onto the political The Blanco home was a modest first full-length book of poetry, and
done to Ireland, Greece, Portugal and scene, the poet Richard Blanco, a son place where pork was served on was published the next year by the In touch with Iranian diversity
Spain by means of debt enslavement. of Cuban exiles, says he felt “a spiritual Thanksgiving (in his first published University of Pittsburgh Press. Soon
connection” with the man who would poem, “América,” Mr. Blanco writes he was flooded with teaching offers; he Vol. 20 / No. 1223 - Friday, Jan. 25, 2013
And the people suffer and die become the nation’s 44th president. that he insisted one year on having taught for a time at Central Connecticut
Like Mr. Obama, who chronicled his turkey), and Latin music played on State University in New Britain, and
The Guardian reported 2 days ago [5] : multicultural upbringing in a best- holidays and birthdays. Theirs was a Georgetown University and American
“The human toll has not yet been selling autobiography, “Dreams From world dominated by food and family, University in Washington while
calculated, but a communique read on My Father,” Mr. Blanco has been on where “mango,” as Mr. Blanco writes continuing his engineering work. Only
state television late Saturday said that at a quest for personal identity through in another poem, “Mango, Number recently did he give up engineering to
least 11 Malians were killed in Konna. the written word. He said his affinity 61,”“was abuela and I hunched over write full time.
for Mr. Obama springs from his own the counter covered with the Spanish While “City of a Hundred Fires” and
“Sory Diakite, the mayor of Konna, feeling of straddling different worlds; newspaper, devouring the dissected Mr. Blanco’s second book, “Directions
says the dead included children who he is Latino and gay (and worked as a flesh of the fruit slithering like molten to the Beach of the Dead” (University
drowned after they threw themselves civil engineer while pursuing poetry). gold through our fingers.” of Arizona Press, 2005) explore his
into a river in an effort to escape the His poems are laden with longing for Like many immigrant families, Mr. Cuban heritage, Mr. Blanco’s most
bombs. the sights and smells of the land his Blanco’s parents wanted a better life for recent collection, “Looking for the
parents left behind. their son. “The business was survival,” Gulf Motel,” published last year,
“Others were killed inside their Now Mr. Obama is about to pluck Mr. he said. He was instructed that he had incorporates his life as a gay man in the
courtyards, or outside their homes. Blanco out of the relatively obscure three career choices: doctor, lawyer very conservative Cuban culture.
People were trying to flee to find and quiet world of poetry and put him or engineer. He was “a whiz at math,” “It’s trying to understand how I
refuge. Some drowned in the river. At on display before the entire world. On he said, so he chose engineering, fit between negotiating the world,
least three children threw themselves Wednesday the president’s inaugural suppressing his creative side (and his between being mainstream gay and
in the river. They were trying to swim planners will announce that Mr. Blanco homosexuality) to win the approval of being Cuban gay,” he said.
to the other side. And there has been is to be the 2013 inaugural poet, joining his grandmother, who thought he was Now Mr. Blanco, who is also at work
significant infrastructure damage,” said the ranks of notables like Robert Frost too feminine. on a memoir, is focused on an entirely
the mayor, who fled the town with his and Maya Angelou. As an engineer, Mr. Blanco helped new and, colleagues say, exceedingly
family and is now in Bamako.” “Since the beginning of the campaign, design bridges, road improvements difficult endeavor: composing what is
I totally related to his life story and the and an architectural site plan for City known in his trade as an “occasional
Who knows what the death toll is today. way he speaks of his family, and of Hall in South Miami. But in his mid- poem,” written to commemorate a
course his multicultural background,” 20s, he said, he began asking himself specific event. After learning of his
God help any country and its people Mr. Blanco said in a telephone interview questions about “identity and cultural selection on Dec. 12 — he has kept it
with natural resources to be exploited. from the rural village of Bethel, Me., negotiations and who am I, where do I a secret even from his mother — he
where he lives with his partner. “There belong, what is this stuff about Cuba my began drafting three poems; the Obama
Notes: has always been a spiritual connection parents keep talking about?” Suddenly team will pick one for him to read at
in that sense. I feel in some ways that he felt “a deep need” to write. the inaugural ceremony.
[1] [2] [3] http://rt.com/news/france- when I’m writing about my family, I’m Mr. Blanco decided to pursue a master’s “The challenge,” he said, “is how to be
mali-french-troops-006/ writing about him.” degree in fine arts and creative writing, me in the poem, to have a voice that’s
Mr. Blanco must now compose an taking courses at night at Florida still intimate but yet can encompass a
[4] All information taken from Le original poem for the president’s International University, where he had multitude of what America is.”
Journee Miniere et Petrolieres du ceremonial swearing-in on the steps earned his engineering degree. His Mr. Blanco will be the nation’s fifth
Mali (government information) of the Capitol on Jan. 21. (Mr. Obama mentor there, Campbell McGrath (who inaugural poet; the practice was begun
http://www.jmpmali.com/html/ will take the official oath at the White also happens to be a childhood friend by John F. Kennedy, picked up by Bill
miningandpetroleum.html House on Jan. 20, as required by the of Elizabeth Alexander, Mr. Obama’s Clinton and continued by Mr. Obama.
Constitution.) Addie Whisenant, the first inaugural poet), said Mr. Blanco’s Cynics might say that in picking a
[5] http://www.guardian.co.uk/ inaugural committee’s spokeswoman, facility with numbers and structural Latino gay poet, Mr. Obama is covering
world/2013/jan/13/mali-neighbours- said Mr. Obama picked Mr. Blanco design shines through in his writing. his political bases; some gay people
troops-french-intervention because the poet’s “deeply personal “Richard was always a complete objected to his selection of the Rev.
poems are rooted in the idea of what it engineer within poetry,” Professor Rick Warren, an opponent of same-sex
About the author: means to be an American.” McGrath said. “If you said it needs marriage, to deliver the invocation at
R. Teichmann is an activist in Ire- Friends of Mr. Blanco’s, and fellow a little work here or there, a whole his 2009 inauguration.
land within the “Awaken Ireland” poets, say the president could not have transfiguration of a poem emerged. But Mr. Blanco says Mr. Obama’s
grassroots movement. He is a frequent found a more perfect fit. He understood revision not to be inaugural theme, “Our People, Our
contributor to this blog. “I think he was chosen because just a touch-up job but a complete Future,” resonates with him. He wants
his America is very similar to the reimagining, a reworking. I know that’s to write, he said, about “the salt-of-the-
president’s America,” said Liz connected to his engineering skill.” earth sense that I think all Americans
Balmaseda, who met Mr. Blanco in the Mr. Blanco’s first collection, “City have, of hard work, we can work it
mid-1990s when he was just emerging of a Hundred Fires,” which grew out out together, that incredible American
as a poet, and she was working as a of his graduate thesis, won the 1997 spirit that after 200-plus years is still
columnist for The Miami Herald. “You Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize, there.”
don’t have to be an exile, you don’t
have to be Latino or gay to get the
yearning in Richard’s poetry.”
Mr. Blanco, 44, was conceived in Cuba,
born in Spain and raised and educated
in Miami, where his mother was a
bank teller, his father a bookkeeper,
and his grandmother — “abuela” in
his poems — was a looming, powerful
presence. Family folklore has it that he
was named for Richard M. Nixon, his
father’s favorite president, who took a
So here we have it Poet’s Kinship With the President 42
Whatever is reported by the mainstream Richard Blanco has been chosen as the 2013 inaugural poet. 42
media, the goal of this new war is no
other than stripping yet another country By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
of its natural resources by securing the Published: January 8, 2013
access of international corporations to
do it. What is being done now in Mali WASHINGTON — From the moment strong stand against Fidel Castro. a prestigious literary award for a 1391 نمهب6 جمعه- 1223 شماره/ سال متسیب
through bombs and bullets is being Barack Obama burst onto the political The Blanco home was a modest first full-length book of poetry, and
done to Ireland, Greece, Portugal and scene, the poet Richard Blanco, a son place where pork was served on was published the next year by the In touch with Iranian diversity
Spain by means of debt enslavement. of Cuban exiles, says he felt “a spiritual Thanksgiving (in his first published University of Pittsburgh Press. Soon
connection” with the man who would poem, “América,” Mr. Blanco writes he was flooded with teaching offers; he Vol. 20 / No. 1223 - Friday, Jan. 25, 2013
And the people suffer and die become the nation’s 44th president. that he insisted one year on having taught for a time at Central Connecticut
Like Mr. Obama, who chronicled his turkey), and Latin music played on State University in New Britain, and
The Guardian reported 2 days ago [5] : multicultural upbringing in a best- holidays and birthdays. Theirs was a Georgetown University and American
“The human toll has not yet been selling autobiography, “Dreams From world dominated by food and family, University in Washington while
calculated, but a communique read on My Father,” Mr. Blanco has been on where “mango,” as Mr. Blanco writes continuing his engineering work. Only
state television late Saturday said that at a quest for personal identity through in another poem, “Mango, Number recently did he give up engineering to
least 11 Malians were killed in Konna. the written word. He said his affinity 61,”“was abuela and I hunched over write full time.
for Mr. Obama springs from his own the counter covered with the Spanish While “City of a Hundred Fires” and
“Sory Diakite, the mayor of Konna, feeling of straddling different worlds; newspaper, devouring the dissected Mr. Blanco’s second book, “Directions
says the dead included children who he is Latino and gay (and worked as a flesh of the fruit slithering like molten to the Beach of the Dead” (University
drowned after they threw themselves civil engineer while pursuing poetry). gold through our fingers.” of Arizona Press, 2005) explore his
into a river in an effort to escape the His poems are laden with longing for Like many immigrant families, Mr. Cuban heritage, Mr. Blanco’s most
bombs. the sights and smells of the land his Blanco’s parents wanted a better life for recent collection, “Looking for the
parents left behind. their son. “The business was survival,” Gulf Motel,” published last year,
“Others were killed inside their Now Mr. Obama is about to pluck Mr. he said. He was instructed that he had incorporates his life as a gay man in the
courtyards, or outside their homes. Blanco out of the relatively obscure three career choices: doctor, lawyer very conservative Cuban culture.
People were trying to flee to find and quiet world of poetry and put him or engineer. He was “a whiz at math,” “It’s trying to understand how I
refuge. Some drowned in the river. At on display before the entire world. On he said, so he chose engineering, fit between negotiating the world,
least three children threw themselves Wednesday the president’s inaugural suppressing his creative side (and his between being mainstream gay and
in the river. They were trying to swim planners will announce that Mr. Blanco homosexuality) to win the approval of being Cuban gay,” he said.
to the other side. And there has been is to be the 2013 inaugural poet, joining his grandmother, who thought he was Now Mr. Blanco, who is also at work
significant infrastructure damage,” said the ranks of notables like Robert Frost too feminine. on a memoir, is focused on an entirely
the mayor, who fled the town with his and Maya Angelou. As an engineer, Mr. Blanco helped new and, colleagues say, exceedingly
family and is now in Bamako.” “Since the beginning of the campaign, design bridges, road improvements difficult endeavor: composing what is
I totally related to his life story and the and an architectural site plan for City known in his trade as an “occasional
Who knows what the death toll is today. way he speaks of his family, and of Hall in South Miami. But in his mid- poem,” written to commemorate a
course his multicultural background,” 20s, he said, he began asking himself specific event. After learning of his
God help any country and its people Mr. Blanco said in a telephone interview questions about “identity and cultural selection on Dec. 12 — he has kept it
with natural resources to be exploited. from the rural village of Bethel, Me., negotiations and who am I, where do I a secret even from his mother — he
where he lives with his partner. “There belong, what is this stuff about Cuba my began drafting three poems; the Obama
Notes: has always been a spiritual connection parents keep talking about?” Suddenly team will pick one for him to read at
in that sense. I feel in some ways that he felt “a deep need” to write. the inaugural ceremony.
[1] [2] [3] http://rt.com/news/france- when I’m writing about my family, I’m Mr. Blanco decided to pursue a master’s “The challenge,” he said, “is how to be
mali-french-troops-006/ writing about him.” degree in fine arts and creative writing, me in the poem, to have a voice that’s
Mr. Blanco must now compose an taking courses at night at Florida still intimate but yet can encompass a
[4] All information taken from Le original poem for the president’s International University, where he had multitude of what America is.”
Journee Miniere et Petrolieres du ceremonial swearing-in on the steps earned his engineering degree. His Mr. Blanco will be the nation’s fifth
Mali (government information) of the Capitol on Jan. 21. (Mr. Obama mentor there, Campbell McGrath (who inaugural poet; the practice was begun
http://www.jmpmali.com/html/ will take the official oath at the White also happens to be a childhood friend by John F. Kennedy, picked up by Bill
miningandpetroleum.html House on Jan. 20, as required by the of Elizabeth Alexander, Mr. Obama’s Clinton and continued by Mr. Obama.
Constitution.) Addie Whisenant, the first inaugural poet), said Mr. Blanco’s Cynics might say that in picking a
[5] http://www.guardian.co.uk/ inaugural committee’s spokeswoman, facility with numbers and structural Latino gay poet, Mr. Obama is covering
world/2013/jan/13/mali-neighbours- said Mr. Obama picked Mr. Blanco design shines through in his writing. his political bases; some gay people
troops-french-intervention because the poet’s “deeply personal “Richard was always a complete objected to his selection of the Rev.
poems are rooted in the idea of what it engineer within poetry,” Professor Rick Warren, an opponent of same-sex
About the author: means to be an American.” McGrath said. “If you said it needs marriage, to deliver the invocation at
R. Teichmann is an activist in Ire- Friends of Mr. Blanco’s, and fellow a little work here or there, a whole his 2009 inauguration.
land within the “Awaken Ireland” poets, say the president could not have transfiguration of a poem emerged. But Mr. Blanco says Mr. Obama’s
grassroots movement. He is a frequent found a more perfect fit. He understood revision not to be inaugural theme, “Our People, Our
contributor to this blog. “I think he was chosen because just a touch-up job but a complete Future,” resonates with him. He wants
his America is very similar to the reimagining, a reworking. I know that’s to write, he said, about “the salt-of-the-
president’s America,” said Liz connected to his engineering skill.” earth sense that I think all Americans
Balmaseda, who met Mr. Blanco in the Mr. Blanco’s first collection, “City have, of hard work, we can work it
mid-1990s when he was just emerging of a Hundred Fires,” which grew out out together, that incredible American
as a poet, and she was working as a of his graduate thesis, won the 1997 spirit that after 200-plus years is still
columnist for The Miami Herald. “You Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize, there.”
don’t have to be an exile, you don’t
have to be Latino or gay to get the
yearning in Richard’s poetry.”
Mr. Blanco, 44, was conceived in Cuba,
born in Spain and raised and educated
in Miami, where his mother was a
bank teller, his father a bookkeeper,
and his grandmother — “abuela” in
his poems — was a looming, powerful
presence. Family folklore has it that he
was named for Richard M. Nixon, his
father’s favorite president, who took a
