The Chicano/Latino Literary Prize (53 page)

I was certain Mamá was this very moment in the back yard watering her rows of tomatoes and squash, the gladioluses. Carolina need not have worried
what Mamá would say about our muddy shoes, what excuse or little lie to think up to explain why we were so late in coming home. No need for explanations, I thought sadly. Mamá would not notice the dirty shoes, or our getting home after dark. Her only preoccupation in those days when Chuy was missing was to make sure her plants and flowers were growing, growing, growing.

Already lights inside the houses had been turned on, enticing us to walk a little faster toward home and warmth and family. Out of the cool spring night, into the smells of tortillas and beans, to quick baths and
Crema Nivea
, a dollop of Dep for our hair about to be set on empty frozen juice cans for the straight-hair look. Into security and love and soft living-room lights we would enter as we sat together watching “The Beverly Hillbillies” and “Gilligan's Island.” We were content to know that we were not on a deserted island, even as the freeway cars rushing by sounded like waves and the Santa Fe 8:38 train wailed its lonely call. We families were not alone, not alienated on a no-man's island. We could afford to laugh at poor Gilligan and his friends in their futile attempts to be rescued; we could love Granny who continued to be Granny even as she sat transplanted in a mansion in Beverly Hills—such a sumptuous house. How we would love to be Granny! Each one of us dreamt our own dreams of sudden fortune and mansions, swimming pools and movies stars. Such unattainable wealth, but oh, could we ever dream! Sitting on the floor or on the orange vinyl love seat in front of the T.V. watching the Lawrence Welk Show (though we would rather be watching the Alfred Hitchcock Show), the translucent, shimmering bubbles seemed to float out of the screen toward us, inviting us to enter a Bubble Land of opportunities and wishes granted. Although we knew the fragile, almost-illusory bubbles would pop before our very eyes within seconds, we never stopped feeling secure as a family.

I could now smell the light fragrance of our sweet peas. By the time we waved good-bye to Georgie from Citrus Street, and made our way to our familiar rickety fence, night had set in.

Leonard Adame,
Flute Songs, 1981–82

Marisela Cortez Adams,
Tomorrow Is Only Saturday, 1976–77

Manuel R. Aguilera,
María, 1980–81

Francisco X. Alarcón,
Tattoos, 1983–84

José Alfaro, No title available,
1977–78

Andrés Álvarez,
A Solitary Migration: Baja California, 1981–82

Roberto Álvarez, Poems,
1980–81

Gabriel de Anda, Poems,
1982–83

Andrea Teresa Arenas, Poems,
1983–84

Ron Arias,
The Wetback, 1974–75

Alfred Arteaga, Poems,
1980-81
;
Cantos, 1986–87

Fausto Avendaño,
Los buenos indicios, 1984–85
Víctor Ávila, Poems,
1983–84

Carlos López Azur, No title available,
1985–86

Deborah Fernández Badillo, Poems
, 1984–85

Patricia Santana Bejar, No title available,
1991–92

Juan Manuel Bernal,
Confesiones de un seudopoeta …, 1980–81

Charles Ramírez Berg, No title available,
1986–87

Evangeline Blanco,
Caribe, 1994–95

Arnold Bojórquez,
El rey, 1979–80

María Dolores Bolívar,
La palabra (H)era, 1989–90

Barbara Brinson-Pineda,
Litanía peregrina, 1981–82

Elaine Brooks,
Poems, 1979–80

William Busic,
The Grey Dogs, 1974–75

Rosemary Susan Cadena, Poems
, 1979–80

Rita M. Canales,
The Awakening, 1977–78

Frank Canino, Yanira Contreras and Beatriz Pizano, No title available,
1997–98

Luis Morones Careaga,
The Goddess within Subterranean Women, 1982–83

Rosa M. Carillo,
Amor y libertad
and
Calor, 1975–76

Victor Carrillo, No title available,
1986–87

Wilfredo Q. Castaño,
Bone Games, 1982–83

Ana Castillo, Poems,
1975–76

Gustavo Chavando,
Agustín, el bueno, 1982–83

Noé Magaña Chávez,
Más mezcla maestro, 1975–76

Lucha Corpi,
Shadows on Ebbing Water, 1983–84

Saúl Cuevas,
El tren, 1975–76

Elaine Zamora Damación,
Orchards, 1980–81

Juan Delgado,
Landscapes, 1983–84

R. A. Díaz,
Mini-poemas, 1975–76

Máximo Espinoza, Poems,
1975–76

Laura Fargas, Poems,
1992–93

Carlos Nicolás Flores,
La cantina del gusanito, 1989–90

Olivia Dávila Flores,
Qué, cómo y cuándo, 1986–87;
No title available,
1987–88

José Manuel Galván,
Las tandas de San Cuilmas, 1989–90

Arturo Gálvez,
Historia de dragones
and
Detrás, 1975–76

Reymundo Gamboa,
Your Disdain, 1978–79; 50/50 Chance, 1986–87

Ignacio García, No title available
, 1987–88

Ignacio M. García, No title available
, 1990–91

Adam Gettinger-Brizuela,
Awakening, 1981–82

Art Godorniz, Poems,
1978–79

César A. González,
A ver, hijo
,
1974–75

César A. González-T., No title available
, 1986–87

Verónica González, No title available,
1998–99

Atila Guerrero,
The Crystal Chandelier, 1989–90

Jerry L. Gurule, No title available
, 1986–87

Pedro Gutiérrez, Poems,
1980–81

Ana María Hernández,
Grandma
,
1974–75

Anna Hernández,
Seven Poems, 1975–76

Barbara Hernández,
Bautizo
and
Mazmorra, 1975–76

Jo Ann Y. Hernández, No title available
, 1994–95;
No title available
, 1995–96

Rosalinda Hernández, Poems,
1984–85

Juan Felipe Herrera,
Antiteatro y poemas, 1978–79; Memoir: Checker-Piece, 1984–85

Gary D. Keller,
The Raza Who Scored Big in Anáhuac, 1983–84

María-Christina Keller,
At the Top of the Stairs, 1980–81

Alberto Ledesma,
Poetry for Homeboys on the Foul Line, 1988–89

Graciela Limón,
Concha's Husband, 1989–90; Voice in Ramah, 1990–91

Carlos Lombrana,
I Only Came Here to Grease, 1976–77

Jack López,
The Boy Who Swam With Dolphins, 1982–83

Phyllis Victoria López, Poems,
1980–81

María Josefina López,
Simply María, or America's Dream, 1988–89

Frank Lostanau, Poems,
1974–75

Richard Alexander Lou,
Works, 1982–83

Yolanda Luera, Poems,
1975–76,
No title available,
1986–87

Tom Lugo,
Mexican Ascent of the Academic Shreckhorn, 1988–89

Amalio Madueño,
Rancho de la nación, 1974–75

Rey Madueño,
A Pure and Simple Fantasy, 1976–77

Martha Manqueros,
Claudia, 1980–81

Arturo Mantecón, No title available
, 1987–88

Patricia Preciado Martín,
María de las trenzas, 1985–86; Songs My Mother Sang to Me, 1988–89

Cheta Martínez,
Vida loca: Cheta Martínez's Underground Chronicles, 1989–90

Demetria Martínez,
Chimayó, México, 1987–88

Rubén Benjamín Martínez,
Plaza mayor, 1989–90

David Maturino,
California, fragmento de México, 1975–76

Cathy Medina, Poems,
1981–82

Rubén Medina, Poems
, 1979–80

David Meléndez,
No Flag, 1989–90

Jesús Mena,
El risueño, 1979–80

Héctor Menez, No title available,
1985–86

Rita Mendoza,
Thoughts of a Chicana Woman, 1974–75

David Nava Monreal,
A Pastoral Tale, 1979–80; Variations Between Worlds, 1983–84; Cellmates, 1986–87

Andrés Montoya,
The Iceworker Sings and Other Poems, 1996–97

Cherrie Moraga, Poems
, 1987–88

Carlos Morton,
Johnny Tenorio, 1986–87

Alejandro Murguía, Poems
, 1974–75

Michael Nava,
Sixteen Poems, 1980–81

Alfonso E. Niño,
Mingo's Bar, 1981–82

M. V. Noreña,
A tres bandas, 1975–76

Juan Luciano Ortiz, Poems,
1974–75

Ramón Ortiz,
Cecilia, 1974–75

Javier Pacheco, No title available,
1977–78

Javier Barrales Pacheco, No title available,
1985–86

Héctor González Padilla,
El crimen, 1975–76

Mike Padilla,
Hard Language, 1995–96

Angelo Parra,
Song of the Coquí, 1997–98

Laura O. Parra, Poems,
1975–76

Benito Pastoriza, Poems,
, 1979–80

Anna Pérez, Poems,
1975–76

Terri de la Peña, No title available,
1985–86; Ventanas, 1991–92

M. C. Peralta,
One Performance Only, 1978–79

Mary Helen Ponce,
Recuerdo: When Rito Died, 1981–82;
No title available,
1991–92

Guillermo A. Prieto,
Poemas, 1975–76

Tony Pryzblo, Poems,
1975–76

José Luis Quintero,
El manuscrito de Heinz Steiner, 1981–82

Alfonso Peña Ramos,
Matachín Dancer, 1987–88

Dolores Ramos, No title available,
1977–78

Manuel Ramos,
The Ballad of Rocky Ruíz, 1990–91

Orlando Ramírez,
Speedway, 1978–79

Jorge Antonio Renaud, No title available
, 1986–87

José Rendón, Poems,
1988–89

Michael Ricardo,
Grus Xicanus, 1983–84

Alberto A. Ríos, No title available,
1994–95

Margarita Luna Robles,
Urbano: Letters of the Horseshoe Murder, 1984–85

Diego Rodríguez,
Un baile sin música, 1981–82

Luis J. Rodríguez,
Sometimes You Dance With a Watermelon, 1982–83

Mario Rodríguez,
The Summer Collection
,
1974–75

Roberto Rodríguez,
Mystery Forgotten: The Disappearance of the Maya People, 1976–77

Salvador Rodríguez del Pino, Poems,
1974–75

Nydia Rojas, No title available,
1995–96

Elaine Romero,
Walking Home, 1993–94

Jesús Rosales,
Parte del proceso, 1980–81

Silvia Rosales,
El puente de los esclavos, 1975–76

Samuel Royball, No title available,
1977–78

Catriona Rueda, No title available,
1997–98

Nedra Ruíz, Poems
, 1977–78

Benjamín Alire Sáenz,
Alligator Park, 1988–89

Ana María Salazar,
La última despedida, 1983–84

Clyde Salazar, Poems
, 1979–80

Arturo Salcedo-Martínez, No title available
, 1988–89

Antonio Salinas, No title available,
1996–97

Elba Rosario Sánchez,
Tunas a la luna, 1989–90

Rosaura Sánchez,
Transparencias, 1975–76

Jesús Santana,
Revoltijo poético, 1975–76

Patricia Santana,
Motorcycle Ride on the Sea of Tranquility, 1998–99

Lorenza Calvillo Schmidt,
Palabras contigo, 1974–75

Gustavo Segade, Poems
, 1985–86

Frank Sifuentes,
Mi padrino Apolinar, 1981–82

Gary Soto, Poems,
1975–76

Elizabeth Noriega Stein,
Chilpancingo and the Need to Know, 1982–83

Francisco X. Stork, No title available,
1998–99

Carmen Tafolla,
Hot Line, 1986–87

Kathleen J. Torres,
The Lantern of her Caves, 1982–83

Gloria Velásquez,
Sunland, 1984–85

Arthur Valenzuela, Poems
, 1981–82

Liliana Valenzuela,
Zurcidos invisibles, 1988–89

Raquel Valle,
Alcanzando un sueño, 1989–90

Victor Manuel Valle,
Ilegal, 1976–77

Rafael del Valle, No title available
, 1987–88

Armando Vallejo, Poems,
1981–82

José Luis Vargas,
El ojo del agua, 1975–76

Patricio F. Vargas,
Payback: Dirty for Dirty, 1983–84

Pedro Ortiz Vásquez, Poems,
1975–76

George Verdugo,
F and Independence
, 1974-75