Infinite Divisions

by Rebolledo, Tey Diana; Rivero, Eliana S.

• ISBN13: 9780816513840
• ISBN10: 0816513848
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1993-08-01
• Publisher: Univ of Arizona Pr

Summary

Given the explosive creativityshown by Chicana writers over the past two decades, this first major anthology devoted to their work is a major contribution to American letters. It highlights the key issues, motifs, and concerns of Mexican American women from 1848 to the present, and particularly reflects the modern Chicana's struggle for identity. Among the recurring themes in the collection is a re-visioning of foremothers such as the historical Malinche, the mythical Llorona, and pioneering women who settled the American Southwest from the sixteenth to twentieth centuries. Also included are historical documents on the lives, culture, and writings of Mexican American women in the nineteenth century, as well as oral histories recorded by the Federal Writers Project in the 1930s. Through poetry, fiction, drama, essay, and other forms, this landmark volume showcases the talents of more than fifty authors, including Gloria E. Anzaldua, Ana Castillo, Lorna Dee Cervantes, Denise Chavez, Sandra Cisneros, Pat Mora, Cherrie Moraga, and Maria Helena Viramontes.

Table of Contents

Preface
Photographic Images: Some of the Contributors
Introduction	p. 1
Foremothers
The Oral Tradition
Excerpts from "Una Vieja Y Sus Recuerdos"	p. 39
Eufemia's Sopapillas	p. 42
An Old Native Custom: La Curandera	p. 43
Quiteria Outwits the Witch Nurse	p. 46
Las Tres Gangozas (The Three Sisters)	p. 46
The Written Tradition
Asking For the Bride	p. 47
The Field Crosses of the Farmers	p. 50
The Herb Woman	p. 52
Shadows of the Past - VI. Memorias	p. 57
Flores Secas / Dried Flowers	p. 63
Quinceanera / Sweet Fifteen	p. 65
Drama en Mananitas / Drama in the Early Mornings	p. 66
Maria Esperanza	p. 68
Simplicidades / Simplicities	p. 69
A Elena / To Elena	p. 71
School	p. 71
Self and Identity
So Not To Be Mottled	p. 78
My Name	p. 79
Toma de nombre / Taking of Name	p. 79
By Your True Faces We Will Know You	p. 81
El dia de la chicana	p. 82
Soy hija de mis padres... / I am the daughter of my parents	p. 83
La Loca de la Raza Cosmica	p. 84
Crisis de identidad / Crisis of Identity	p. 88
Oaxaca, 1974	p. 90
The Gift?	p. 91
Chicana Studies	p. 92
To Other Women Who Were Ugly Once	p. 93
Women Are Not Roses	p. 94
Legal Alien	p. 95
To live in the Borderlands means you	p. 96
Mestiza	p. 97
ever since	p. 101
I sing to myself	p. 102
Progenitor	p. 104
From "A Letter to Alicia"	p. 105
Whole	p. 106
Desert Women	p. 107
Self and Others
My Mother Pieced Quilts	p. 113
ser conforme	p. 114
Haciendo Tamales	p. 115
Beneath the Shadow of the Freeway	p. 116
mi mama se sentaba / my mother would sit	p. 118
For the Color of My Mother	p. 119
Baby Doll	p. 120
The Album	p. 121
Section 3 from Mother, May I?	p. 122
Mama Tona	p. 124
The Moths	p. 126
Mourning a Sister's Death	p. 130
To a Little Blond Girl of Heber, Califas	p. 131
Wimpy's Wake	p. 132
Arturo Burro	p. 135
mente joven...	p. 136
El sueno de las flores	p. 137
On Meeting You in Dream and Remembering Our Dance	p. 138
Chon	p. 139
after the name-giving	p. 140
To My Daughter	p. 141
Nuestros mundos / Our Worlds	p. 143
Plot	p. 144
The Toltec	p. 145
South Sangamon	p. 146
The Jewelry Collection of Marta la Guera	p. 146
Do You Take?	p. 150
Para un Revolucionario	p. 151
A Woman Was Raped	p. 152
For Virginia Chavez	p. 154
Crow	p. 156
Spaces
La Casa / The House	p. 161
kitchen talk	p. 163
New Year's Eve	p. 163
Section 5 from Mother, May I?	p. 164
Spaces like the Barrio	p. 165
The Truth in My Eves	p. 166
The Journey	p. 167
was fun running 'round descalza	p. 171
Caminitos	p. 173
Roads	p. 175
The Valley of the Sun	p. 176
Fecundating	p. 180
El retorno	p. 180
Drought: San Joaquin Valley, Winter	p. 183
La Gran Ciudad	p. 183
The Border	p. 185
tia juana u glisten	p. 187
tavern taboo	p. 188
Myths and Archetypes
Aztec Princess	p. 195
Marina	p. 196
La Malinche	p. 198
La Malinche a Cortez y Vice Versa / La Malinche to Cortez and Vice Versa	p. 200
Somos la Tierra	p. 202
Malinche's Discourse	p. 203
Malinche Past: Selection from Paletitas de guayaba	p. 207
Malinchista, A Myth Revised	p. 212
Como Duele	p. 213
Go Away from My Window, La Llorona (1)	p. 215
La Llorona: At Sixteen; Portrait by the River	p. 216
La Llorona	p. 218
Witches' Blood	p. 219
The Three Sisters	p. 220
Hands	p. 222
1910	p. 227
Josefina's Chickens	p. 228
Adelita	p. 231
Guerrillera Soy / I Am a Warrior Woman	p. 232
Sor Juana	p. 233
444 Years After	p. 256
Little Miracles, Kept Promises	p. 257
Gullible	p. 266
Cuento de Hadas / Fairy Tale	p. 267
Mi Reflejo	p. 268
Writers on Language and Writing
A Poet's Job	p. 276
It Is My Nature	p. 277
Creations	p. 277
Cuentista: Story-teller	p. 278
Clever Twist	p. 278
Restless Serpents	p. 279
Como la semilla / Like the Seed	p. 280
Protocolo de verduras / The Protocol of Vegetables	p. 280
Para el consumidor / For the Consumer	p. 282
Maybe a Nun After All	p. 283
Visions of Mexico While at a Writing Symposium in Port Townsend Washington	p. 284
Poem For The Young White Man Who Asked Me How I, An Intelligent, Well-Read Person Could Believe In The War Between Races	p. 286
Declaration on a Day of Little Inspiration	p. 287
Literary Wetback	p. 288
Refugee Ship	p. 293
Linguistic Terrorism	p. 293
Julieta's Muses	p. 295
They Are Laying Plans for Me - Those Curanderas	p. 296
Poema Inedito / Unpublished Poem	p. 297
Mi Poesia / My Poetry	p. 298
Dedicated to American Atomics II	p. 298
Lirica fanatica / Fanatic Lyric	p. 299
Desveladas inutiles / Useless Sleeplessness	p. 300
The Confession	p. 300
como embrujada	p. 303
Paradox	p. 303
Mango Says Goodbye Sometimes	p. 304
Growing-Up
Growing	p. 307
Aay Cucuy...! / "Ooooh! The Boogieman!"	p. 314
Nostalgia	p. 315
Pueblo, 1950	p. 315
Elena at 5 Years	p. 316
Troublemaker (for all who ask what I plan to do with my degree)	p. 316
Excerpts from "Rosebud"	p. 317
How I Changed the War and Won the Game	p. 321
Velorio	p. 322
Evening in Paris	p. 324
Monarquia	p. 329
Para Teresa	p. 330
I Was a Skinny Tomboy Kid	p. 333
In the Toolshed	p. 335
Her Choice	p. 337
Celebrations
My Poetry	p. 343
Fire	p. 344
Movimiento / Movement	p. 345
Let Us Never Forget the Dance	p. 347
He was one of those special ones, she said	p. 348
The Ceremony of Orgasm	p. 350
Mielvirgen	p. 351
Spring Tonic	p. 352
Dream	p. 353
The Body as Braille	p. 353
Como lo siento	p. 354
Making Tortillas	p. 355
Bearded Lady	p. 356
Two Brothers	p. 356
Plumb	p. 357
Segments	p. 357
Emplumada	p. 358
'San Antonio Rose' Era Xicana	p. 358
Sin Ti Yo No Soy Nada / Without You I Am Nothing	p. 359
The Paris Gown	p. 360
Weeping With Laughter	p. 368
Bibliography	p. 371
Acknowledgments and Sources	p. 379
About the Contributors	p. 385
About the Editors	p. 393
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