Multicultural Poetry: Gary Soto

Bibliography:

Soto, Gary. 1995. Canto Familiar. Ill. Nelson, Annika. Orlando, FL: Harcourt ISBN 0152000674

Review:

Canto Familiar is a collection of twenty-five poems by Gary Soto celebrating memories of his childhood, familiar things that bring memories of school, home and friends to all of us.This book of poetry is the companion to Soto's Neighborhood Odes. Many of the poems use the Spanish language to add color and authenticity to the poetry. These poems represent the everyday experiences of children at play, with family and friends. Soto uses concrete images to provide a setting that is realistic and filled with detail. His poems bring to life the subject matter Soto is relating to the reader. Each poem is a story in itself and helps reader to understand the lives of the children and their families represented. Readers of Mexican descent, or those intimately familiar with the culture, will smile and think of their own experiences as they experience Soto’s poems. Those who are unfamiliar with the Mexican culture may need help in understanding the context of some of these poems; but will feel as if they have been invited into these homes and quickly feel as if the people they meet in the poems are just like them. Soto does an excellent job in blending cultures and making the poems accessible to children. Annika Nelson’s illustrations are beautiful. The bright woodcut designs will help readers to know and understand these poems.

Poem Selection:

I have chosen to share the poem called Handcuffs. As I read this poem, I could relate to the predicament that this child is in and how I too have been in similar situations.

Handcuffs

How could I know/That when I slipped/Into handcuff,/The plastic kind,/ Mom would be gone, Father/Already on his forklift/At work? I slipped/Them on, and/looked up/At the clock/In the kitchen,/Its big hand washing/Its face over/And over./It was 8:23,/Seven minutes/ Before I had to/Cross the street/And join my friends,/Those changos/On the monkey bars./ I pulled at/The handcuffs,/Yanked until my skin/ Became pink/ As a sock/ In the wrong wash./ I banged them/ On the washer,/Then the edge of/The sink, and finally/ On the back porch/Until our neighbor,/ Senor Cisneros,/Came out of the house/…….

The poem goes on to tell how the child could not find the key to the handcuff, her feeling of embarrassment, and her trip to school-still in handcuffs.

I would share this poem with students as a introduction to writing about themselves. Student’s often have difficulty when writing about themselves. The feel like they have never done anything worth writing about. This is a perfect example of how reading poetry can help children understand and relate to other people. After sharing the poem, let students tell their stories of troubled times. Then let the writing commence!

Learn more about Gary Soto.