Puerto Rican poetry
Soy boricua. In spite of my family and in spite of my country—I’m writing the process of the Puerto Rican mind—taking it out of context—as a native and a foreigner—expressing it through Spanish, Spanglish, and English—Independencia, Estado Libre Asociado, and Estadidad—from the
Giannina Braschi, United States of Banana
position of a nation, a colony, and a state—Wishy, Wishy Washy, and Washy—not as one political party that is parted into piddly parts and partied out. Todos los partidos están partidos y son unos partidos.
Contemporary Puerto Rican Poetry
Did you experience the Puerto Rican poetry extravaganza at The Whitney? Experience it here on YouTube.
El bello no ser de nuestros cuerpos/Our Bodies’ Beautiful Not Being: A reading at the Whitney Museum curated by Roque Salas Rivera, featured a dynamic mix of leading and emerging Puerto Rican poets of the day:
- Giannina Braschi
- Rubén Ramos Colón
- Nicole Cecilia Delgado
- Francisco Félix
- Denice Frohman
- Joey de Jesús
- Yara Liceaga
- Roberto Ncar
- Urayoán Noel
- Mara Pastor
- Willie Perdomo
- Yolanda Arroyo Pizarro
- Verónika Reca
- Gaddiel Francisco Ruiz Rivera
- Irizelma Robles
- Sandra Nia Rodríguez
- Edwin Torres
- üatibirí
- Xavier Valcárcel
- Elisabet Velásquez.
Puerto Rican literature anthologies
- Diasporic Journeys: Interviews with Puerto Rican Writers in the United States, 2023. Carmen Haydée Rivera, Editor. Puerto Rican poets and writers: Giannina Braschi, Rodney Morales, Luisita López Torregrosa, Lawrence La Fountain-Stokes, Javier Ávila, José Luis Torres-Padilla, Aya de León, María Teresa “Mariposa” Fernández, Caridad de la Luz, Migdalia Cruz, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Quiara Alegría Hudes, and Raquel Salas Rivera.
- Papiros de Babel: Antologia de la poesia puertorriquena en Nueva York, 1991. Pedro Lopez Adorno, Editor. Vanessa Droz, Jan Martinez, Mayra Santos Febres, Ivan Silen, Carmen Valle, Lourdes Vazquez, Manuel Ramos Otero, Giannina Braschi, Pedro Lopez Adorno, and Marithelma Costa.
- Puerto Rico en mi corazón, 2019. Raquel Salas Rivera, Ricardo Maldonado, Carina del Valle Schorske, Editors. Joey de Jesus, Nicole Delgado, Kenning JP García, Yara Liceaga, Lara Mimosa Montes, Urayoan Noel, Nicole Sealey & more.
- Breaking Ground: Anthology of Puerto Rican Women Writers in New York 1980-2012/Abriendo Caminos: antologia de escritoras puertorriquenas en Nueva York. 2012, Myrna Nieves, Editor. Myrna Nieves, Sandra María Esteves, Giannina Braschi, Nancy Mercado, Madeline Millán, and Corazón Tierra.
Famous Boricua Poems
Enjoy Boricua.com‘s spotlight on Giannina Braschi, author of the famous Puerto Rican poem “Soy Boricua.” To read other famous Puerto Rican poems, visit The Literary Ladies Guide which illuminates the life and works of Julia de Burgos and other talented women writers from antiquity to today. Go to Poetry Foundation to read masterworks by Pedro Pietri such as Puerto Rican Obituary.
Influential Puerto Rican Poets
Here are some of the most influential Puerto Rican poets whose works are a vital part of contemporary American poetry scene.
- Miguel Algarín: Co-founder of the Nuyorican Poets Café. Queer poet and scholar.
- Giannina Braschi: Celebrated for cross-genre epic works in Spanish, English, and Spanglish, such as Empire of Dreams, Yo-Yo Boing! and United States of Banana.
- Julia de Burgos: A forerunner of the Nuyorican movement and one of the greatest poets of Latin America, whose themes of feminism and social justice influence current poets.
- Victor Hernández Cruz: The first Puerto Rican poet to be published by a mainstream U.S. publishing house (Random House) with his collection Snaps in 1969. Chancellor Emeritus of Academy of American Poets.
- Willie Pedomo: Former New York State Poet Laureate.
- Pedro Pietri: A foundational figure of the Nuyorican movement, known for his classics Puerto Rican Obituary and The Masses are Asses. Co-founder of the Nuyorican Poets Café.
- Roque Raquel Salas Rivera: Former Poet Laureate of Philadelphia. Author of Algarabía.
Key words and tags: Puerto Rican poetry, soy boricua, Fun facts about American Poets, Puerto Rican graphic novels, Puerto Rican novels, Puerto Rican philosophers, Nuyorican women, Nuyorican poets, Nuyorican playwrights, Boricua poets, spanglish poetry