April 27, 2015
C. D. Wright
The Academy of American Poets
75 Maiden Lane, Suite 901
New York, NY 10038
Dear C. D. Wright,
I just wanted to say thank you for your poems, “Like Hearing Your Name Called in a Language You Don’t Understand” and “Imaginary Mexico.” I wanted to add that you should feel no obligation to respond to this letter unless you absolutely want to and if so, then I’d be more than happy to hear back from you.
It wasn’t until recently that I found out about your work on the “Dear Poet Project” for National Poetry Month, but after reading several of your poems I realized we had something in common and that’s why I am writing to you today. I enjoyed how you inserted several Spanish words into your poems because it makes it seem more realistic and it honestly is what sparked my interest and made me want to read on. For example, in your poem “Like Hearing Your Name Called in a Language You Don’t Understand,” when you wrote the line “with my feet crossed at the ankles, and the leather of my huaraches,” it caught my attention quickly because I am Hispanic and I enjoy reading works of literature that include certain things that remind me of where I come from and my roots. Furthermore, upon reading the entirety of the poem, I understood that the speaker was feeling sort of reminiscent but didn’t want to dwell on that and would rather think of better things although I’m not entirely sure if this was your intent.
Also, I wanted to add that I agree with you strongly in that “Poetry is a necessity of life.” I think that without it many people wouldn’t be able to function the same. People need to express themselves.
Sincerely,
Esthela
High School Student
San Benito, TX