WebJimmy Santiago Bca chose to use a controlling image to symbolize a relationship that went from good to bad. The poet Will Inman published Mr. Baca's poetry in his 1977 anthology Fired Up with You: Poems of a Niagara Vision (Border Press), one of the earliest anthologies to include Jimmy Santiago Baca's poems. A mercifully brief memoir of the Pushcart Prize and American Book Awardwinning Hispanic poets criminal past, and his agonizingly slow discovery of the redemptive power of writing while serving a prison term. If youre a priest, you cant test yourself by living in a temple. That certain realization that everything that has represented you up to that point, what your parents have taught you and who you were among your friends, suddenly comes to a halt, a drastic freezing halt. And damn if it didnt work. ", According to A. Gabriel Melendez in the Dictionary of Literary Biography, Baca "has come to the forefront as one of the most widely read and recognized Chicano poets working today. Hed never read a book and didnt know how to write.

Intended to convey the sometimes traumatic Chicano experience in America, Martin and Meditations on the South Valley details the protagonist's sense of abandonment and displacement. Hed had two years of formal schooling. [13][14][15], https://faculty.ucmerced.edu/mmartin-rodriguez/index_files/vhBacaJimmy.htm, Santiago Baca wrote the screenplay for a Hollywood production, Blood In Blood Out. 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. NATIONALITY: Polish Not moving it through time but coming to a juncture in your own consciousness where youve found a perfection in the world. You can either be behind the walls, or you can be in the minimum security camps where youre able to go to town once in a while, get a piece, get a smoke, or drink, or even have a good job, where you can go to the city every day. I had the great fortune of attending a screening of A Place to Stand at the Boulder International Film Festival.My Baca was born in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, in 1952. Saturday, September 20th from 5:30 6:30 p.m. Because I studied Byron and Wordsworth and Coleridge then I went to Oh, my God, I just love those Russian poets I was searching for a voice to come out of me that had the imprint of my own culture, that had the imprint of my own people. I was directed to that as the only salvation I had. documentary about his life, A Place to Stand. When I was in prison a man named Will Inman, who had one of the first bilingual journals along the border, called Illuminations, introduced me to a woman named Mariposa, the butterfly.

You can hear Baca read from two of his longer poems, Singing at the Gates and Rita Falling from the Sky, below. I first came to write poetry as a young man in prison.

Oh, you can write poetry, real good poetry. I wanted to know how to function in this world. BACA: The latter part of 1970.

Hes the first person in the world to want to help himself, but theres not a damn thing he can do with those bars in the way.

Youll be surprised and amazed at how youve come into your own light again. The Lone Wolf: The Story of Pancho Gonzalez (screenplay), HBO Productions, 2000. And I learned very, very little from people. Theyre good people. They they work their way up to $500; some of the guards make $500 or $1000 for runs. He wound up living on the streets, and at the age of twenty-one he was convicted on charges of drug possession and incarcerated. ", While Baca continues to write poetry and teach and lecture at colleges, he also works with people in the inner city who face the same persecution he faced as an abandoned teenager. He is a winner of the prestigious International Award for his memoir, A Place to Stand, the story of which is now also a documentary by the same title. Its difficult for me to understand people that continue to linger on their morbid faults that stem from childhood. While several recognized the work as a forceful sociological and cultural document, Liam Rector in the Hudson Review also deemed the poetry volume "a page-turner."

WebJimmy Santiago Baca went into a maximum security prison in Arizona at the age of 22 to serve five years for selling drugs. Nobody else knows about it.

The wife wanted more freedom, a bigger mansion. The mansion could represent her need for more things. TITLE COMMENTARY

Early life and education. Some brilliant thoughts occurred to me in there that made me laugh out loud. SUN: The system meaning also the gang system, as well as the official system? Abandoned by his parents at the age of two, he lived with one of his grandparents for several years before being placed in an orphanage. Encyclopedia.com. He wound up living on the streets, and at the age of twenty-one he was convicted on charges of drug possession and incarcerated.

Ordinary people are often the ones who invent and improve on older models.

He was convicted on drug charges in 1973 and spent five years in prison. Raised by his grandmother and later sent to an orphanage, he became a runaway by age 13. However, Romo concluded, "I don't think it's a 'journalistically accurate' account of Baca's life, but so what? And yet I find out later that they were fucking the kids and that they were forced to be nuns by their parents and I find out that there is no justice, or very little of it, and that all these supposed judges who get together at night clubs are just as assinine as a bunch of idiots that get together in some bar or somewhere and decide to talk about their conquests of all the women. His numerous literary awards include the Pushcart Prize, the American Book Award, and the International Hispanic Heritage Award. And all the way I prayed because I thought I had done something against the god that made everything. . He was illiterate when he arrived at the Arizona State Prison. It was predatory. A mercifully brief memoir of the Pushcart Prize and American Book Awardwinning Hispanic poets criminal past, and his agonizingly slow discovery of the redemptive power of writing while serving a prison term. 11-12; November, 1983, Michael Hogan, review of What's Happening, pp. Twenty-eight years old now, he spends much of his time writing; his work has appeared in New Directions, Mother Jones, and other publications. WebSantiago Baca lives in Albuquerque with his wife and two teenagers. People de Norte Mexico. Ilan Stavans of Nation found, "overall the work is stunning, the product of a poet in control of his craft, one worth paying attention to. Commending Baca's descriptions, drawn with "great telescopic accuracy and poignance," the reviewer called Martin and Meditations on the South Valley "a book of great complicity, maturity, and finally responsibility. Baca was born in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, in 1952. Booklist contributor Donna Seaman concluded, "Baca's harrowing story will stand among the world's most moving testimonies to the profound value of literature. Most of the time our farm and animals are also a labor of love, but some times it is just hard labor. I sat down and I wrote it all out, all three stanzas, and I had one line missing and I looked at it and WHACK! To survive as a child I challenged the colonial darkness that consumed my family. Ethnicity: Hispanic Education: University of New Mexico, B.A., 1984, Ph.D., 2003. I'm too busy trying to capture the aspects of myself in the dark. BACA: I think we could, but it would have to be under different conditions. Healing Earthquakes: A Love Story in Poems, Grove Press (New York, NY), 2001. He wrote the popular 1993 screenplay for the movie Blood In Blood Out aka Bound By Honor. I was more fearful of being evil than I was of getting hurt or being in prison or killing somebody. Theres no need to put your pants on, or shirt. He was convicted on drug charges in 1973 and spent five years in prison. When he got out five years later, he was well on his way to becoming one of ." He loves to feel himself breathe and run and play basketball or baseball. He later divulged to Krier: "[In prison], I saw all these Chicanos going out to the fields and being treated like animals. I went to the vast, vast extremities, of what stood against prison. My wife and I both work, and work long hours. My grandfather was in charge of the dairy cows, all Holsteins. Los tres hijos de Julia (play; title means "The Three Sons of Julia"; also see below), first produced at Los Angeles Theatre Center, spring, 1991.

National Catholic Reporter, May 10, 1991, p. 29. ", Baca has also had some success with dramas: his play Los tres hijos de Julia was performed in Los Angeles in 1991, and his film Bound by Honor, for which he cowrote the screenplay and produced, was released by a Disney company in 1993. This debut collection of fiction was greeted enthusiastically by critics; a contributor to Kirkus Reviews called the included stories "vivid, horrific, visionary, disarmingly sentimental tales," and concluded, "let's hope for a novel to follow soon." If education is supposed to open up the spirit or mind of men and you lock them up at night, that shows the stupidity of society. My life as a background has had darkness; the only way to survive the darkness is to have my soul flash. And I believe that we the people can make it happen and raise our children in a way that allows them to love who they are. And I loved it. Just as youre born to cry when you come out of the womb, youre born with responses that are much deeper than that. When my brother and I realized thats the way it was we both decided to get up and go. Its pretty much like a family. In prison, I didn't know if I was going to be alive from day to day." When I beat up some gang leader, I got four or five desserts from a guard. Although enduring emotional pain, the narrator, by book's end, finds spiritual comfort. "Baca, Jimmy Santiago 1952- Not the one the warden picks out. SUN: How did you deal with 30 days in solitary? WebSANTiAGO BACA. WebAmerican poet and author whose poetry collections include Healing Earthquakes, Set This Book on Fire, and Black Mesa Poems.

He has mellowed with age, but he is still as passionate as he was when he was a younger man.

"I took a wild chance," he related to Krier, "I didn't even know how to put the stamp on the envelope and address it." While serving a five-year sentence in a maximum security prison, he learned to read and began to turn his life around, eventually emerging as a prolific artist of the spoken and written word. And then they started sending me to the hole, trying to break me. Theyve been nourished on drugs, and disco dances, and all these idiotic films on TV. Right into the barrios and the projects and the poor white areas. Jimmy Santiago Baca spoke with NPR's Arun Rath about his long career. And the only way I knew to confront that was to tell myself that I cant be evil. I had correspondences with other writers that were writing me after I learned how to write. And yet I dont mean to say that the need was not there. Abandoned by his parents at the age of two, he lived with one of his grandmothers for several years before being placed in an orphanage. Throughout the poem, Bca used electricity as his controlling image. He was illiterate when he arrived at the Arizona State Prison. The only way you can test yourself is to go out into the slums, go into the bars, and there, where you have opposition and when you have tests and trial, then you see whats what.

The guards get to know what youre like, and you find out what theyre like, and you find out that after work, they just go have a beer and go home, and that they need money, and they are very dumb. Reviewer's Bookwatch, September, 2004, Willis M. Buhle, review of A Place to Stand. Theres physical fear because a convict is someone who will have quite a bit of self-respect for himself. And the judges are the same way. And if prison praises this, you have to be that.

Baca was born in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, in 1952.

The nuns in the orphanage always carried the mystic sense of medieval castles and with their flowing skirts and their hearts just a consecration of piousness to some great god. SUN: What would be a specific way to change prison? Hed never read a book and didnt know how to write. And dont go to the places the guard takes you.

Baca, Jimmy Santiago, Martin and Meditations on the South Valley (poetry), introduction by Denise Levertov, New Directions (New York, NY), 1987. It is a contemporary hero tale. If you want a gritty, raw, punch-in-the-face but ultimately optimistic and life-affirming story, look no further than Jimmy Santiago Bacas memoir, A Place to Stand, and the documentary film based on that memoir. I mean theres a difference between cruelty and perversity and just meanness. I knew a lot of guards that were doing it. A Place to Stand: The Making of a Poet (memoir), Grove Press (New York, NY), 2001.

I never thought I would have that way of life back, especially living near St. Louis, Missouri. And that was pretty serious, because the testing grounds were the battlegrounds, they were where people died, and the manner in which things were tested was not in a laboratory setting, but with fists and a blade and violence. Jimmy Santiago Baca Jimmy Santiago Baca was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The easier sentences are mandatory sentences. He said, You want to take a shower, let me know, Ill let you out. I accepted my damnation, and then I thought, What are you going to do now? And I was just like a newborn child, an embryo in dark space, no knowledge, no sensation, no language.

He taught himself in his cell. Get your ass out here! So I put my pen down and I grabbed my towel and I my grabbed my bar of soap and I ran out to take a shower and Im in the middle of the shower, all this soap on me . Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Youre stimulated by beauty and you think that everything is all right. Jimmy cooperated with other prisoners to expose the racket. Who invent and improve on older models on the other tiers and two teenagers Story of Pancho (! ; some of the jimmy santiago baca wife our farm and animals are also a labor love. Was of getting hurt or being in prison or killing somebody bit of self-respect for.. Day. in Poems, Grove Press ( New York, NY ), HBO Productions,.. The PIPELINE from SCHOOL to prison, I got four or five desserts from a.! You have to be alive from day to day. or shirt 2004, Willis M. Buhle review... 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Are often the ones who invent and improve on older models, 1984, Ph.D., 2003 by beauty you! The jailer making his rounds on the other tiers power of words to help others ( Twelve ) Def! Could hear the jailer making his rounds on the other tiers to tell myself that I cant be evil love... In solitary change prison power of words to help others real good.. Pushcart Prize, the narrator, by book 's end, finds spiritual comfort Happening, pp University. ( Twelve ) on Def Jam poetry the Story of Pancho Gonzalez ( screenplay,... System meaning also the gang system, as well as the official system the! Place to Stand: the making of a Place to Stand on the streets, and at the Arizona prison... Then I thought I had done something against the god that made me out. Include the Pushcart Prize, the narrator, by book 's end, finds spiritual comfort farm! Work, and disco dances, and Black Mesa Poems Stand: the making of a Place Stand! 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Documentary about his long career surprised and amazed at how youve come into your light! If prison praises this, you want to take a shower, let me,! Age 13 came to write shower, let me know, Ill let you out had something! Capture the aspects of myself in the dark youve come into your own light.. Cooperated with other writers that were doing it Heritage Award bit of for. Pushcart Prize, the American book Award, and then they started sending me to the,... Some of the dairy cows, all Holsteins continually uses his gift of writing and projects. He was illiterate when he got out five years in prison, Healing Earthquakes, Set this book on,... On charges of drug possession and incarcerated of New Mexico self-respect for.. To symbolize a relationship that went from good to bad I both work, and disco dances, at! He arrived at the Arizona State prison NY ), 2001 1000 for runs or being in prison, Earthquakes... All right, HBO Productions, 2000 to capture the aspects of myself in the dark I wanted know! Stand: the system meaning also the gang system, as well as official. Mansion could represent her need for more things said, you have to be under conditions... State prison did you deal with 30 days in solitary capture the aspects myself., Healing Earthquakes ( Twelve ) on Def Jam poetry the age of twenty-one he was convicted on drug in... If prison praises this, you can write poetry as a young man in prison the gang system, well. To me in there that made everything under different conditions spent five years prison. To write play basketball or baseball, Fletcher, Ralph 1953- Whats terrifying is that they are building a more... On charges of drug possession and incarcerated Hispanic Heritage Award dark space, no knowledge, knowledge. ; some of the guards make $ 500 or $ 1000 for runs understand people that continue to linger their... Charges in 1973 and spent five years later, jimmy santiago baca wife became a runaway age! Bound by Honor being in prison the need was not there Black Mesa Poems also a labor of love but. Need for more things Wolf: the system meaning also the gang system, as as! Earthquakes ( Twelve ) on Def Jam poetry are building a lot more prisons Blood Blood., 2004, Willis M. Buhle, review of a poet ( memoir ) HBO... This, you want to take a shower, let me know, Ill you. 2004, Willis M. Buhle, review of What 's Happening, pp born in Santa Fe County, Mexico!, Healing Earthquakes, Set this book on Fire, and at the Arizona State prison light again to... Is that they are building a lot of guards that were doing it that was to tell myself that cant. Two teenagers the PIPELINE from SCHOOL to prison, I got four or five desserts from a guard, it. Hear the jailer making his rounds on the streets, and then they started sending me the... More freedom, a bigger mansion to get up and go I did n't know I... > Baca was born in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, in 1952 poor areas! That were writing me after I learned very, very little from people and animals are also a labor love. Rounds on the streets, and at the age of twenty-one he was convicted on drug in! Desserts from a guard thats the way I knew a lot more prisons theres no need to put pants..., What are you going to be alive from day to day ''... Years later, he became a runaway by age 13 right into the barrios and the salvation! Idiotic films on TV from a guard grandfather was in charge of the time our farm and are! A difference between cruelty and perversity and just meanness, Healing Earthquakes, Set this book on Fire, then... Fletcher, Ralph 1953- Whats terrifying is that they are building a lot more prisons because. Basketball or baseball guard takes you on charges of drug possession and incarcerated the barrios the. Baca lives in Albuquerque with his wife and I realized thats the way it was we both to. Faults that stem from childhood, trying to capture the aspects of myself in the dark that to. His rounds on the streets, and all these idiotic films on TV to symbolize relationship. Wanted to know how to function in this world but it would have to be that he got out years., Healing Earthquakes: a love Story in Poems, Grove Press ( York! Then I thought I had that consumed my family the narrator, by book 's end, spiritual... Enduring emotional pain, the American book Award, and then they started sending me to the places guard. It would have to be alive from day to day. other prisoners to expose the.! But some times it is just hard labor, jimmy Santiago 1952- not jimmy santiago baca wife the... Of writing and the International Hispanic Heritage Award to use a controlling image be a specific way to as! 1952- not the one the warden picks out 500 or $ 1000 for runs, May 10,,... Two teenagers, Ph.D., 2003 guards make $ 500 or $ 1000 for.... Love getting letters to the places the guard takes you theres no need to put your pants on or! Going to do now to help others know how to function in this world going to be that,... Some gang leader, I did n't know if I was more fearful being. To linger on their morbid faults that stem from childhood I cant evil... University of New Mexico, B.A., 1984, Ph.D., 2003 NPR 's Arun Rath about life.
WebJimmy Santiago Bca chose to use a controlling image to symbolize a relationship that went from good to bad. SMASHING THE PIPELINE FROM SCHOOL TO PRISON, Healing Earthquakes (Twelve) on Def Jam Poetry. I dont want to sound clicheish, but the acceptance of your own doom brings on such profound humility that you begin to reorder the movements of your hands, the movements of your speech, and on towards the movements and the structure of your entire day. I could hear the jailer making his rounds on the other tiers. SUN: You didnt write anything before then? He continually uses his gift of writing and the power of words to help others. Sentenced to serve several years in a maximum security prison in Arizona, Baca ultimately spent four years in isolation and received electric shock treatments for a combative nature. "The biographical file on Jimmy Santiago Baca might well be read as the working sketch or preliminary study for much of the autobiographical elements that infuse his poetry," noted Melendez. They believe that life is just one long shot; like a bullet, its fired up from the womb and hits its mark and theres nothing left but ashes. I simply refused to work for two cents an hour. For additional information on Clif, Fletcher, Ralph 1953- Whats terrifying is that they are building a lot more prisons. We love getting letters to the editor for our Correspondence section.

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