The Writing Artist- Sandra Maria Estevez
My writing artist choice for today is Dominican and Boricua poet, producer, teacher and painter Sandra Maria Estevez. She is known as the “Godmother of Nuyorican Poetry” and has authored several poetry collections, spoken word CD’s and plays. Estevez studied at Pratt Institute with majors in Creative Writing, Fine Art, Film and Art Education. Her involvement with the Nuyorican Poets Café in the 1970’s and 1980’s made her one of the few women poets there at the time. She has presented work at the Kennedy Center, The Public Theater and the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Her poetry has been featured in numerous anthologies including The Afro- Latin@ Reader, History and Culture in the United States, Aloud, Voices from the Nuyorican Poets Cafe and Breaking Ground Anthology of Puerto Rican Women Writers in New York. Estevez continues to give of her talents by teaching creative writing workshops in the New York City area. You can follow her work at www.sandraesteves.com.
Below is her poem titled On the Island Where I Find You
On the Island Where I Find You
I didn’t think you’d be in Yauco
I began looking on the beaches in Joyuda
Healed myself in the charcos of Aguadilla
Watched waves splashing high against the sea wall
Harvested seaweed treasures in the shallows
Followed crabs into their wet rocky holes
Hoping you would appear somewhere to find me
Waited in the heights of Mayaguez
Toasting intellectual rum and cokes
Among tamarindo and mango gardens
Rushed the long Sunday drive to Boqueron
Plowed through miles of virgin beach
Could feel you in the water embracing my skin
Climbed El Faro’s lighthouse in Rincón
Bought expensive tourist trinkets
But what I really wanted wasn’t on the shelves
Worked my way back up the coast to Aguada
Stopped through island towns along the way
Sat under pana trees in their small plazas
As pitirres jumped across the branches
Ate swordfish cooked like sabroso bistec
Peered into faces driving compac cars
As if I had x-ray vision.
None of them were you
Each journey’s turn building anticipation
Wishing miracles would come true
At night, under canopy of a million starlights
I saw chickens roosting on thick guava branches
Listened to the cricket family symphony
Lull me into precious sleep
And in my dreams I saw you climbing stairs
Sharing stories about campo pueblo mountains
You held my empty hands I kissed your canela face
As you led me home into your house of light.
© Sandra María Esteves
~ Nia Andino ~
