“Aqui to be called negrito means to be called LOVE” ~ Pedro Pietri

In Pedro Pietri’s seminal poem Puerto Rican Obituary, he traces the lives of five Puerto Rican immigrants—Juan, Miguel, Milagros, Olga, and Manuel—struggling to find their footing in New York City. Through his vivid portrayal, Pietri critiques the dehumanizing forces of capitalism that distort the immigrants’ experiences in the U.S., as well as their memories and connections to Puerto Rico. The characters labor under the weight of societal expectations, racial prejudice, and economic hardship, which ultimately separates them from their dreams of success. His work is a powerful reflection of the Nuyorican experience: a diasporic identity born out of the tension between a mythologized homeland and the harsh realities of life in urban America.

{that’s the beginning of the essay that accompanies this collection. There also 10 more images. See the rest at the Blurb page for the edition.}