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4.2: Jimmy Santiago Baca's "Immigrants in Our Own Land" and "I Am Offering this Poem"

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    Jimmy Santiago Baca photo

    Jimmy Santiago Baca in 2004. Photo by Gwendolen Cates . Licensed under Creative Commons, courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

    Directions

    Here, you will find Jimmy Santiago Baca's "Immigrants in Our Own Land" & "I Am Offering this Poem"

    The poems are on a docx. file. I recommend either printing it our or annotating the digital copy on your computer, or taking notes on the story on a separate piece of paper.

    While reading the poem, keep these questions/ideas in mind:

    • While reading this poem, reflect on what type of theme or message that jumps out to you?
    • List the themes
    • Then, begin to note and list the different use of poetic and literary devices in the poem
    • What about these devices makes you feel this way?
    • What does the poem mean to you??
    • What does this poem critique about America?
    • How does the imagery in the poem make you feel?
    • How did the use of rhyme contribute/not contribute to the overall theme of the piece?
    • Did you like the poem? Why or why not?

    Author's Bio

    Born in Santa Fe of Chicano and Apache descent, Jimmy Santiago Baca was abandoned by his parents and at thirteen ran away from the orphanage where his grandmother put him. He was convicted on drug charges in 1973 and spent five years in prison. There he learned to read and began writing poetry. His verse novel, Martin and Meditations on the South Valley, received the American Book Award in 1989. In addition to seven books of poetry, he has published memoirs, essays, stories, and a movie screenplay—Bound by Honor, released in 1993. -PoetryOutLoud.Org Link to Author's Bio

    Links to an external site.

    Essay Topic

    As a reminder, your essay topic is:

    Do a close read of the poem. What is one overall theme/message that you see in the text? What are the literary/poetic devices that you see that are enhancing said theme/message?

    "Immigrants in Our Own Land" By Jimmy Santiago Baca .docx

    I Am Offering this Poem By Jimmy Santiago Baca .docx

    4.2: Jimmy Santiago Baca's "Immigrants in Our Own Land" and "I Am Offering this Poem" is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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