Cry, Howl by Edward Vidaurre
Prickly Pear Publishing, 2022
Edward Vidaurre’s Cry, Howl opens with the familiar moment of riding the bus each morning. Through self-reflection, Vidaurre turns these split-second blips into important instances of seeing our own humanity. In the poem, “Reading on the RTD, 1991-1993,” the speaker states:
Before I had a car
I read on the bus to and from work
I read Black Boy and Native Son
I read Invisible Man and Always Running […]
I read the eyes of the drunk and heartbroken
I read their shoes for their travels and aches
I read their breath, the long sighs and whispers
I read on the RTD bus line
& now… I will write about it.
In a full circle moment, the speaker’s self-reflection is full self-awareness for the people and literature that have shaped his narrative. It is a reminder that inspiration is possible in every moment. In an instance of self-referencing, the poem mentions itself and the journey the reader will take with each poem.
Vidaurre composes a poignant look into both the everyday and the earth-shattering moments of life. Cry, Howl is a bridge over the void left by discrepancies in political representations, immigration, language, and healthcare, among others, that the world has grappled with over the past few years.
In a melding and bridging of language, readers can enjoy several profound poems translated into Spanish as well as several poems that include stanzas in Spanish. In “Through the Fence for all immigrants,” the speaker states:
I offer these medicine poems
I gather this sage for you poems
Teach me to pray the rosary poems
Let’s face the four directions together poems.
In Spanish, translated by Gabriella Gutiérrez y Muhs:
Ofrezco estos poemas como remedios
Poemas recojo esta sabia para ustedes
Poemas ensén͂enme a rezar el rosario
Poemas enfrentemos a las cuatro direcciones juntos.
Whether a reader enjoys the poem in Spanish or English or both, they can be certain that the poem’s speaker is fully aware of the power poetry holds. As stated in “Through the Fence for all immigrants,” poems, as a type of religious or cultural offering, span the beautifully diverse makeup of humanity and language. It is as if, through the bilingual nature of the poems, the poems become self-aware of their power to represent and reflect the world. The collection in both English and Spanish encourages exploration and creativity to produce honesty through language.
To insist or boil down Cry, Howl to a singular poetic style or theme would be an injustice to a richly deep and plentiful collection which discusses the prevalent divides within our country and offers solutions of dignity and respect. The connecting factor in each poem is meaningful language and the varied, individual meaning poetry can create for each reader.
It is best to allow Vidaurre himself to explain the power of language and the power of poetry. Vidaurre writes:
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
Use these letters to tell your truth
Use these letters to tell your angst
Use them to change this world.
Do as Vidaurre suggests and use these humble letters in any language to cry, gasp, shout, exclaim, state, and even howl your unique truth into the universe.
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Sara Pisak is a reviewer, essayist, and poet. Sara has published work in The Rumpus, Hippocampus, The Deaf Poets Society, Door is a Jar, Five:2:One Magazine, and Appalachian Journal, among others. In total, she has published over 100 pieces. When not writing, Sara spends time with her family and friends.