The Mountain in the Sea VICTOR HERNANDEZ CRUZ
Coffee House Pres, $15.00 paper, ISBN 1-56689-191-4
For almost forty years, the rich tradition of Puerto Rican literature has centered on the music in the poetry of Victor Hernandez Cruz. No poet has influenced the cross-cultural union of so many people as Cruz has done through a long and distinguished body of work. This new book extends his vision beyond personal global experience as he reminisces about key individuals who influenced his formation as a writer. This “Portraits” section includes poems on figures like Don Quixote, Jorge Luis Borges, and other literary and musical icons. By acknowledging his masters, Cruz proves how the timeless calling of poetry has no territorial boundaries. Cruz is a poet who hears the higher angelic calling of the artist and his response is a poetry of meaning, adventure, and the heavenly sound of human transcendence.
by Ray Gonzalez
