A Collection of Poetry About Machismo Mindset in the Latin Community: What is Machismo?, If I Have a Son, Celebrate
It is difficult to understand the differences in cultures and the expectations that they have. In the Latino community the idea of “machismo” is often a topic of conversation. What does it mean? How do you get it? Where did it come from? Am I an outcast if I just don’t have it? This collection focuses and in some instances refocuses our lens on the topic. In “What is Machismo?”we listen as a son has a conversation with his mother about the answer to this topic soon realizing that she worries that she didn’t teach him this important aspect of his life but he puts her at ease, he’s a great man and she did that. In “If I Have a Son”we listen to all of the amazing kinds of acceptance that a man will have for his son should he ever have one and finally in “Celebrate”a Latino man reflects on the things that in the eyes of his father, could make or break him having “Machismo.” From the constant reminders that he’s not manly enough to the beatings to toughen him up. He finally turns eighteen and is expecting his reward, his one big moment of manhood and the day comes and goes with nothing. He looks in front of his mirror and has to decide who he sees himself as.