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Lessons on Expulsion
Lessons on Expulsion: Poems | Erika L. Sánchez
7 posts | 3 read | 16 to read
An award-winning and hard-hitting new voice in contemporary American poetry The first time I ever came the light was weak and carnivorous. I covered my eyes and the night cleared its dumb throat. I heard my mother wringing her hands the next morning. Of course I put my underwear on backwards, of course the elastic didn't work. What I wanted most at that moment was a sandwich. But I just nursed on this leather whip. I just splattered my sheets with my sadness. —from “Poem of My Humiliations” “What is life but a cross / over rotten water?” Poet, novelist, and essayist Erika L. Sánchez’s powerful debut poetry collection explores what it means to live on both sides of the border—the border between countries, languages, despair and possibility, and the living and the dead. Sánchez tells her own story as the daughter of undocumented Mexican immigrants and as part of a family steeped in faith, work, grief, and expectations. The poems confront sex, shame, race, and an America roiling with xenophobia, violence, and laws of suspicion and suppression. With candor and urgency, and with the unblinking eyes of a journalist, Sánchez roves from the individual life into the lives of sex workers, narco-traffickers, factory laborers, artists, and lovers. What emerges is a powerful, multifaceted portrait of survival. Lessons on Expulsion is the first book by a vibrant, essential new writer now breaking into the national literary landscape.
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Andrea4
Lessons on Expulsion: Poems | Erika L. Sánchez
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TracyReadsBooks
Lessons on Expulsion: Poems | Erika L. Sánchez
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Pickpick

Finished up National Poetry Month reading Sánchez‘s poetry collection. Powerful, haunting, challenging, and not always easy to read, these poems, some of which were inspired by specific events, explore the lives of sex workers, the poor, immigrants and more throughout both time and place. A thought-provoking read perhaps geared toward an older audience than I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter.

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TracyReadsBooks
Lessons on Expulsion: Poems | Erika L. Sánchez
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Such an awesome time at the book festival today. As always, my daughter talked me into buying her more books than I had planned—it‘s so hard to say ‘no‘ when she asks for a new book(s)! As for me, I only picked up one book. I really enjoyed Sánchez‘s I‘m Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter and have read a lot of good things about her poetry. It‘s not my usual thing but it is National Poetry month so I thought I‘d give it a go. Looking forward to it.

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hwheaties
Lessons on Expulsion: Poems | Erika L. Sánchez
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Reading poetry again is feeding my soul.

Lindy Yay! 7y
WhatDeeReads I just finished her YA novel. Now I want to read everything by her. 7y
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Lupita.Reads
Lessons on Expulsion: Poems | Erika L. Sánchez
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Pickpick

I‘ve said this before and I‘ll say it again- 2017 is the year for poetry! Or at least for me ☺ï¸! This collection was very special to me. Not only did it not go over my head, I felt connected to it in a deeper way. There‘s nothing like seeing yourself reflected in words in print. Thank you Erika Sanchez for writing these!

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BooksForYears
Lessons on Expulsion: Poems | Erika L. Sánchez
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#TFW You realize two of your most recent reads have something unique in common - deer imagery!

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hwheaties
Lessons on Expulsion: Poems | Erika L. Sánchez
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Today's #bookmail from @Graywolfpress is ðŸ˜ðŸ˜. Working on feeding my #poet soul this year. This will definitely help.

mcipher I am working on that goal this year, too - more poetry! 8y
readinginthedark Ooh! 😠8y
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