Martín & Meditations on the South Valley

by Jimmy Santiago Baca

Fiercely moving, the two long narrative poems of  Martín & Meditations on the South Valley  revolve around the semi-autobiographical figure of Martin, a mestizo or "detribalized Apache."  Fiercely moving, the two long narrative poems of  Martín & Meditations on the South Valley  revolve around the semi-autobiographical figure of Martin, a mestizo or "detribalized Apache." Abandoned as a child and a long time on the hard path to building his own family, Martin at last finds his home in the stubborn and beautiful world of the barrio. Jimmy Santiago Baca "writes with unconcealed passion," Denise Levertov states in her introduction, “but he is far from being a naive realist; what makes his writing so exciting to me is the way in which it manifests both an intense lyricism and that transformative vision which perceives the mythic and archetypal significance of life-events."

Genres: Poetry, Banned Books, Read For School, Biography

104 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Jimmy Santiago Baca of Apache and Chicano descent is an American poet and writer.

Reviews

[emma °❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for class. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this book. That being said, I don't really like poetry to begin with, so take this review with a grain of salt. I just thought it was confusing and I don't think I'm smart and experienced enough with poetry to understand the intricacies of the poems.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I was in school in Oregon we watched a video of this author reading his poetry. It was about the need for men to cry, which doesn't strike me now as anything to write home about. But I did write home, that very day, and told my Ma: "Mama, I'm into Baca."

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't usually like to read long, narrative poems. Actually, I don't usually like modern poetry, period.

This is haunting, redemptive, powerful, and meaningful in a larger political context.

[Amanda ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I could not bear a life,
with everything perfect.”

Some very beautiful lines of poetry in here

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would definitely recommend, especially if you want to read a book about abq.

[Curran Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A narrative poem, almost an autobiografia, pero no. El is Apache y Chicano. The poem has tanto Spanglish but better passages than mine. It's is only 100 pages, but it is an epic journey.

[Tiffany Cusick-Bristol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very enjoyable book, and I wish more authors attempted to write in this poetic manner. It was an easy read, yet insightful and beautiful. The language was so descriptive, it sometimes shocked and other times awed me. The story is just humbling. I don't want to be a spoiler so I am going to leave my review at that. I look forward to reading other similar works.

[Meg Tuite · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blew me away! Baca is not for the weak of heart. If you want happy endings, look elsewhere. He lived through a lot of shit and says it like it is! LOVE!

[Madeline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy fuck man this book grabbed me by my shoulders and shook me awake and fearfully made me confront my feelings and my life. Life writing with Dr. Velasco made my brain switch on the light switch in my soul and said something like: Dude why didn’t you turn the light on? I’m feeding the hearth in my soul now and baking bread for my body.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Baca is a national treasure!

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reflections are real ...from his heartwarming experiences

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good images in here.

[Lexy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an Albuquerque native, I was grateful and enamored by the dignity, beauty, and honesty with which Baca captured the South Valley.

[Rey · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Chicano poetry what can I say

[bored reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Changed my review from 4 to 5 stars after writing a paper about this collection. Actually incredible and life changing, probably the best poetry I’ve read. Men are not terrible beings maybe

[Craig Werner · Rating 5 out of 5]

On rereading, I added the fifth star, maybe because I've been thinking a lot, and writing some, about the Rocky Mountain region. This time, M&Mot SV read to me like the regional epic: a story about the foundations of a civilization with a quirkily heroic figure at its center. Earth, work, Spanglish, the violence and love of the barrio: it's all here. Gracias, hermano.

Two interrelated books of narrative poetry. The first, semi-autobigraphical is Santiago-Baca at his absoloute best, tracking the life of a "detribalized Indian"/Chicano boy abandoned by his parents, putting his life back together piece by piece. The second, good but not on quiet the same level, picks up the protagonist following the burning of the house he'd built as symbol of his rebuilt life--mostly a gallery of portraits of life in the Southwest. Both excellent, Martin absolutely essential.

[Philip Dane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book lives like a leafed box of live cultured bacteria on the pages which Jimmy has preciously penned his existence. He's a survivor, a poet, a man and a testament that people do at times transcend beyond their abandonment. These words are alive and are viewable for the reader looking to witness the poetic testimony of one writing force named Jimmy Santiago Baca.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was very FINE, i read it & felt i had little to say about it. then i managed to write a 1200-word post for class about it, as one does. it's most interesting on the level of local mythmaking. kind of the sort of personal poem i'm least interested in, but at least not as straightforward as it could be.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible poetry-even for those who don't like poetry. I believe it was written while the author was in prison.

[Stan Lanier · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something kind and gentle herein. Real life is the topic of these poems. "Human. All too human."

[Bebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

His works have a voice that reaches into the heart. Excellent read.

[Karen]

This book was banned by Arizona schools.

[Melia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based in the city I live in but decades prior to now, it was interesting to see another side. This book was dark but written beautifully. A quick read.

[Mills College Library]

811.54 B116m 1987