Roberto Tejada's latest poetry collection, 'Carbonate of Copper,' reflects on the U.S.-Mexico border, depicting the struggles of migration and the long history of repression in the Borderlands. Tejada's work draws a parallel between the environment and the lives of people affected by immigration and border enforcement. His poems are described as dreamlike, intertwining the narrative of nature with themes of citizenship and surveillance. He emphasizes the contrasting forces of militarization versus aspirations for justice, inviting readers to reflect on the complexities within this fraught landscape.
If you've ever looked at an old penny, or the Statue of Liberty, and wondered about the bluish-green substance coating its surface, you're familiar with copper carbonate.
In Carbonate of Copper, Tejada's dreamlike poems wind along the course of the Rio Grande, contemplating the humanitarian and ecological crises that haunt the landscape.
Tejada's book draws readers' attention to the long history of repression in the Borderlands and the parallel lineage of solidarity between migrants and residents.
Tejada recently spoke with High Country News about the contradictions of life in the Borderlands, the lessons of a less-militarized past, and poetry's vital role.
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