what free web sites can I search for poetry regarding "mexican crossing the boarder and their hardships that go with it? I am in the 4th grade and need this for school.. thank you
You can go to http://scholar.google.com or http://www.google.com/advanced_search?hl=en when you need to conduct really focused searches like this. By doing so, I found the following:
http://www.judybaca.com/dia/text/joaquin.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Am_Joaquin
What else can you find?
Do you want these poems in Spanish or English? I have many poetry sites but usually it's best to look for a title or a poet, rather than a subject area. I'm looking for you, but in the meantime, here are some books from the Smithsonian library that you might find in your local library:
1) Saldivar, José David. Border matters: Remapping American cultural studies. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1997.
F787 .S19 1997X (NMAH)
This work focuses on the inclusion of the U.S.-Mexico border experience within American cultural studies. Proposes a model for a new kind of U.S. cultural studies that includes Chicano/a cultural perspectives from diverse texts such as corridos, novels, poems, music, paintings, performance art, etc., that challenge the homogeneity of U.S. nationalism and culture.
2) Paredes, Américo. Folklore and culture on the Texas-Mexican border. Austin, TX: CMAS Books, Center for Mexican American Studies, University of Texas at Austin, 1993.
GR110 .T5 P28 1993X (NMAH)
A collection of Américo Paredes’s most significant scholarly articles published between 1958 and 1987 focusing on the folklore and culture of the Lower Rio Grande border of south Texas and northeastern Mexico. Articles on the folklore of Mexican Americans, culture conflict along the Lower Rio Grande border, folk poetry, the Mexican corrido, machismo, the folklorization of actual events, the decima, and Texas-Mexico border jests are included in this work.
Have you considered songbooks and "corridos?"
Sra
Perhaps a good bet would be Chicano poets because those poems are usually in both languages. Here is a list of Chicano authors and poets:
Authors and poets
For a more comprehensive list, see List of Mexican American writers
* Alurista - poet and college professor
* Oscar Zeta Acosta
* Rudolfo Anaya[77]
* Gloria E. Anzaldúa
* Jimmy Santiago Baca
* Ana Castillo — poet, essayist, and fiction writer
* Sandra Cisneros — fiction writer
* Carlos Cumpián
* Guillermo Gómez-Peña
* Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales
* Rigoberto González
* Juan Felipe Herrera
* M. Miriam Herrera
* Luis A. López
* Paul Martínez Pompa
* José Montalvo
* José Montoya
* Pat Mora - author and poet[78]
* Cherrie Moraga — writer and theorist
* Julian Nava - writer, educator, and diplomat[79]
* Daniel Olivas[80]
* Tomás Rivera
* Luis J. Rodriguez
* Richard Rodriguez
* Ruben Salazar — journalist
* Raul Salinas - poet activist
* Ricardo Sanchez - poet activist
* Gary Soto[81]
* José Antonio Villarreal
* Victor Villasenor
* Maria Helena Viramontes — fiction writer
For Fourth Grade, surely your teacher will give you some places to look?
Sra
Here are 2 poems that should work for you. "la Migra" means "Immigration/Border Patrol."
(1) Pat Mora and "La Migra"
I
Let's play La Migra
I'll be the Border Patrol
You be the Mexican Maid
I get the badge and sunglasses.
You can hide and run
buy you can't get away
because I have a jeep
(2) La Migra
La Migra, how I fear you
And your pepper spray
The blistering effects of it
Always ruin my day
When I try to hop the border
And am inevitably foiled
I must think softly to myself
Americans are spoiled
Jim Bob
I can take you wherever
I want but don't ask
questions because
I don't speak Spanish.
I can touch you wherever
I want but don't complain
too much because I've got
boots and kick--if I have to,
and I have handcuffs.
Oh, and a gun.
Get ready, get set, run.
II
Let's play La Migra
You be the Border Patrol.
I'll be the Mexican woman.
Your jeep has a flat,
and you have been spotted
by the sun.
All you have is heavy; hat,
glasses, badge, shoes, gun.
I know this desert,
where to rest,
where to drink.
Oh, I am not alone.
You hear us singing
and laughing with the wind,
Agua dulce brota aqui,
aqui, aqui, but since you
can't speak Spanish,
you do not understand.
Get ready.
Sra
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To find free web sites that contain poetry about Mexican crossing the border and the hardships associated with it, you can follow these steps:
1. Open a web browser on your computer or mobile device.
2. Go to a search engine like Google or Bing.
3. Enter keywords related to the topic you're looking for, such as "poetry about Mexican crossing the border" or "poems about Mexican immigrants' hardships."
4. Press the "Enter" key or click on the search button.
5. Explore the search results that show various websites, articles, and poetry collections related to your query.
6. Look for reputable and credible sources, such as educational institutions, museums, or poetry archives. These sites often provide authentic and appropriate content for school assignments.
7. Visit the websites that seem relevant to your topic, and search within those sites using keywords like "Mexican immigration poetry" or "Mexican border crossing poems" to narrow down the results.
8. Once you find suitable websites, browse through the poetry or literary sections to locate poems specifically addressing the Mexican crossing the border and the associated hardships.
9. Be sure to consult with your teacher or a trusted adult to ensure that the sources and content you find are appropriate for your grade level and educational requirements.
Here are some websites that might be helpful in your search for poems about Mexican crossing the border and its hardships:
1. Poetry Foundation: Visit the Poetry Foundation website (www.poetryfoundation.org) and use their search feature to explore poems on immigration, border crossings, or Mexican-American experiences.
2. Academy of American Poets: The Academy of American Poets website (www.poets.org) provides a vast collection of poems. Use the search or browse feature with relevant keywords to find poems about Mexican immigration or border hardships.
3. NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English): NCTE offers resources for educators and students. Their website (www.ncte.org) has a section called "Poetry and Peace" that might contain relevant poems or resources related to your topic.
Remember to always ask for permission and guidance from your teacher or a responsible adult when using the internet for school research.