Today I'm celebrating National Poem In Your Pocket Day by carrying Jimmy Santiago Baca's, "To My Own Self." I had the pleasure of meeting Jimmy my junior year in college for a Chicana(o) Studies class at the University of Texas at San Antonio with Dr. Norma Cantu. He came to give the class a lecture and offered to conduct a book signing. I brought all of the Baca books I owned and eagerly waited in a very short line.
The assistants who came with him believed I stole the books from the collection he had brought. I was a little unnerved, but quickly put it out of my mind as Jimmy and I had a great little conversation about my recent trip to New Mexico. He also offered to have coffee with me the next time I was in the area. I was on Jimmy clouds for the rest of the semester. It was the first writer/poet I had ever met.
I become more star struck by meeting a writer than I do a Hollywood entity. I still have not cashed in the offer for coffee. Maybe James Franco will offer to have tea with me over a great Borges or Joyce conversation. In which case, I would fly to Connecticut almost immediately. Sorry Jimmy...
Happy National Poem In Your Pocket Day!
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