Candela
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
Asking for a handout
I'm asking for a handout outside
A Mexican shopping center on a Thursday
Morning. With my hand outstretched
Toward compassion, memories
Come to me….
I remember wanting to change the world,
The desire to glorify and give mankind
A good name.
I remember walking with my angel,
Laughing as we fed the beautiful
And glorious swans in the town square
Of Acapulco.
I remember giving all my time
To posterity and motivating them when
I was invited to the university to give a talk
And read from my works.
I remember giving some of my better
Elocutions in my English, history, and Spanish
Classes. There, I gave all of me, I left nothing
Unsaid. I exercised paedeia, deep education.
Today I ask for a handout outside a store.
No one notices my existence, as if I were
Invisible or the very air itself.
After a good breakfast
After a good breakfast
With a friend from work,
Not only did I digest
The food, but also the eternal
Possibilities of how to better
Be of assistance to humanity.
Shall it be with my poetic adventures?
Shall it be with the publication of the
Triumphs of the generation that is
Unfolding? Shall it be as a pedagogue?
What shall these things called
My mind and destiny decide?
What side of the die shall
Face me in the end?
What to do?
Beautiful and poor letters.
I whisper toward them to
Have compassion. Never
Have they denied this
Request from them. I live
And imagine the world
Inside the circle of them.
What to do with this reality?
What are we to do?
They say
The twenty first century contains
Mexicans that will attain great triumphs.
They say that the first American president
Of Latino origin has already been born and
Is amongst us.
Maybe.
But, what is more, they will occupy
Unending positions that will give their
Ancestors a smile, like Paz, Inés de la Cruz,
Fuentes, and Nervo. If this is accomplished,
It is hoped that they do not
Forget their history.
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About the Book
True artists are defined by the scope and depth of their work as a measurement of their works’ value. Calderón here takes the leap of faith to continue chiseling away at the sacred vocation of verse. He has proven to be unrelenting in this pursuit. A philosopher-poet by nature, Calderón’s fourteenth book brings together poemas and songs to impart his worldview as a man of letters. His strong grasp of the English and Spanish languages allows him to move back and forth with ease and speak to the present and posterity in languages that would have made Shakespeare and Cervantes applaud his literary ingenuity. The first part of the 21st century is, indeed, observing one of the most prolific and enduring American poets that has given the English and Spanish speaking world an extensive array of writings to be enjoyed and analyzed by today’s society and generations not yet come.
Los artistas verdaderos son definidos por el alcance y profundidad de sus obras para rendir una medida de sus escrituras. Calderón aquí toma el salto de fe para coninuar tallano sobre la sagrada vocación a los versos. Rudy Calderón ha comprobado ser implacable en este búsqueda. Un poeta filosófico por naturaleza, el decimocuarto libro une poemas y canciones para impartir su cosmovisión como un hombre de letras. Su entendimiento del inglés y español permite que fluya facilmente para hablar con el presente y la posteridad en idiomas que hubieran hecho que Shakespeare y Cervantes aplaudieran su ingeniosidad literaria. La primer parte del siglo veintiuo está, en verdad, observando uno de los más prolificos y durareros poetas americanos quien ha dado al los hablantes del inglés y español una extensa colección de obras para ser disfrutados y anlizados por la sociedad de hoy y las generaciones que todavía no han llegado.
About the Author
Rudy Calderón was born in the metropolis of Los Ángeles, CA in 1974. He attended school in Santa María, CA. For his undergraduate degree, Calderón was graduated from California State University Bakersfield with a Degree in history (cum laude) and a minor in political science in 2001. Calderón Continued his schooling and received his master's degree from Chapman University in teaching and teaching credential in 2003. He has written fourteen books of poetry and has forthcoming books of verse and prose. Rudy Calderón has taught history, English, and Spanish at the junior high school and high school level. Calderón's books have been required readings at California Polytechnic State Univeristy San Luis Obispo in the Modern Languages Department. Moreover, he was invited to read at the 2004 Latino Book and Family Festival hosted by actor and social activist Edward James Olmos. Today, he is an English and Spanish teacher at the middle school level. For more information, please visit the following website: www.uni-vurs.com.
Rudy Calderón nació en el metrópolis de Los Ángeles, CA en 1974. Asistió a las escuelas en Santa María, CA. Para su licenciatura, Calderón fue graduado de California State University Bakersfield en historia (cum laude) con una concentración en ciencia política en el 2001. Calderón continuó sus estudios y se le otorgó una maestría en pedagogía y credential para ser maestro de Chapman University en el 2003. Él ha escrito catorce libros de poesía y tiene más libros de poesía y de prosa por venir. Rudy Calderón ha enseñado historia, inglés, y español al nivel de secundaria y preparatoria. Los libros de Calderón han sido requeridos en las clases del departamento de idiomas modernas en la universidad de California Polytechnic State Univeristy San Luis Obispo. Además, él fue invitado a leer de sus obras en el Latino Book and Family Festival presentado por el actor y activista social Edward James Olmos. Hoy en día, es profesor de inglés y español de secundaria. Para más información, favor de visitar el siguiente sitio de internet: www.uni-vurs.com.