Last fall, Mexican American poet José Olivarez came to speak at Williams College to present his poetry and discuss the important intersection between the arts and activism. Olivarez is the author of CITIZEN ILLEGAL (Haymarket Books, 2018), a poetry collection concerned with the struggles of being a Mexican first-generation immigrant in America. I unfortunately was not able to go to José Olivarez’s talk, but my friend recently let me borrow his book. I believe it is a very important read to understand the ostracization orchestrated against Mexicans and Mexican-Americans by the United States of America.
The first poem in this collection is titled “(Citizen)(Illegal),” a play on the title of the book, and it is a very powerful opening statement that provides a commentary on who or what is actually allowed in this country. It reminds the reader that a war on “illegals” is not only a war on immigration but also a war on humanity, on language, on culture, and on freedom. When we place value on people based on whether they are a “citizen” or an “illegal,” when we let our political figures spew harmful rhetoric about Mexicans, we make their existence illegal, even if they are actually citizens of this country. For Mexican Americans, it becomes about choosing between, as Olivarez puts it, “American (citizen) [and] Mexican (illegal)” (Olivarez, 3).
Another aspect of José Olivarez’s poetry collection that I loved was the fact that, even though the poetry is layered with metaphors and beautiful imagery, the poetry is still, at its roots, accessible. An issue I have had with poetry that I have read in college is that the poets focus too much on the use of sophisticated vocabulary and structural poetic devices, and in doing so their poetry can lose the beauty and power that comes with simplicity. José Olivarez, on the other hand, writes about cheese fries and basement parties, about Scottie Pippen and Wolverine. Anybody can read Olivarez’s poetry and appreciate its strength. I also love how several of his poems are odes to being a Latinx kid in America. Even I, a Dominican and resident New Yorker that is very far removed from Chicanx culture and community, can relate.
Even more importantly, José Olivarez uses his poetry to address several topics that are difficult to talk about in the Latinx community: machismo, anti-blackness, religion, etc. One particular line that struck me from this collection was in the poem “Mexican American Obituary”: “Juan, Lupe, Lorena all died yesterday today/ & will die again tomorrow/ asking Black people to die more quietly/ asking white people not to turn the gun on us” (Olivarez, 32). In this line, Olivarez speaks to the lack of Latinx-African American solidarity in the United States, and it is a moment in this poetry collection that acknowledges the persecution of other minorities in this country.
I have several other favorite poems in this collection, but I think it is more important for people to experience Olivarez’s poetry themselves than have it explained to them. If you can, support José Olivarez’s work and buy CITIZEN ILLEGAL today. It is available on Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and on other major book-selling websites as well. CITIZEN ILLEGAL is a read well worth your time, and during moments like these, it is important to remember that we must continue to educate ourselves every single day.