Bowles navigates these spaces incredibly well, showing that youngsters tend to fluctuate between micro spaces where little things mean the world and macro spaces where their past and present meet to tell them things about them, their culture, and even their future. This is a collection about growing up in the interstitial space between cultures, in the space where languages intersect, and in the transitional time in life where magic begins to die and reality begins to set in, even if it’s still tinged with the fantastic myths, creatures, and fears of childhood. The beauty of They Call Me Güero comes from its simplicity, which hides a multilayered discourse. No wall, no matter how tall, can stop your heritageįrom flowing forever, like the Río Grande itself.” Your ancestors crossed this river a thousand times. “You’re a border kid, a foot on either bank. The border fence stands tall and ugly, invading

Waiting in line at the bridge, though, my smile fades. Later we load our car with Mexican cokes and Joya,Īvocados and cheese, tasty reminders of our roots. With strangers and friends in both languages. Then we walk down uneven sidewalks, chatting We have breakfast in our favorite restorán.ĭad sips café de olla while I drink chocolate. That the frontera will be at the core of the collection is something the poet establishes in the first pages and reinforces throughout the text: In a way, the collection is a thinly veiled autobiography that offers a glimpse into life on the border, into families that are from, and belong, to both sides of that dividing line. This is his vision, pulled from his blood.

Between family, school, growing pains, and first love, They Call Me Güero touches on things all kids go through, but does so in a way that also appeals to adults.īowles writing is proud and unapologetic. A collection of poems about growing up near the border as a bilingual, bicultural kid, this book is a deep, nuanced, heartfelt, and culturally rich look at the life of a kid that mirrors the backgrounds of millions of US residents. David Bowles They Call Me Güero belongs to this special group. There are books that go beyond their intended audience and become necessary reading for everyone.

They call me guero