How I Survived The Chicano Renaissance
And Lived To Tell About It From Australia

for Ivan Carswell

I’m the only Chicano Renaissance poet
to sport a blog, mate.
I never gave up tortillas, never ate bread.

I never gave up boiled beans, never at burgers.
I never gave up huevos rancheros, never ate pancakes.
Your jefita gave up the tortilla roller,

your abuela stopped making bunelos,
your abuelo stopped slaughtering the hogs---
he brought home store-bought tamales.

La Raza became Hispanic or Latino,
they wrote children’s stories,
detective stories, Quetzalcoatl waddle.

But, I’m the only Chicano Renaissance poet
to sport a blog, mate.
So don’t go marsupial on me!