One of the many Nuyorican poets to make a great impact in the field of literature is the self-proclaimed “Bronxeña” María Teresa “Mariposa” Fernández. While the author has not released a wide variety of projects, her work can be found on the book Born Bronxeña and a wide variety of anthologies such as the recently released ¡Manteca! by Melissa Castillo-Garsow. In order to get an understanding of the performer’s work one can take a look at the following poems and go from there.
Picture of Mariposa
Perhaps Mariposa’s most well-known and performed poem, “Ode to the DiaspoRican” is a text that displays a variety of themes including identity and acceptance as it explores the connection between the island Puerto Rican and the Puerto Rican living outside of the island.
“Poem for my Grifa-Rican Sistah or Broken Ends Broken Promises”
Another of Mariposa’s famous poems, “Poem for my Grifa-Rican Sistah or Broken Ends Broken Promises” is a text that uses dialogue and storytelling to provide a glimpse into the experience of being a person with curly hair and how this type of hairstyle can cause a variety of problems inside the household and identity complexes.
Picture of Mariposa
“Tears of the Tigers”
A poem dedicated to her uncle and those who were a part of the Great Puerto Rican Migration of the 1940s and 1950s due to Operation Bootstrap, “Tears of the Tigers” is a reflection of this moment in time and on the derogatory terms, “Marine Tiger” and “Marintaya,” given to those who were a part of the movement.
Mariposa presenting
In short, Mariposa Fernández’s poetry provides a unique glimpse into her side of the Puerto Rican experience with works that explore a wide variety of topics such as identity, beauty, the connection between island Puerto Ricans and those living outside of the country, and Puerto Rico’s history and culture.
Some of Mariposa Fernández’s poetry can be found in ¡Manteca! by Melissa Castillo-Garsow