"[Fidelio] is a trendsetter, and this book of poems reflects the notion that poetry is evolving. These poems are performance based, and it is delightful to see the interspersing of Valley Spanish reflecting the rich Hispanic culture which is so much a part of the Valley tradition. To see a new genre of poetry emerging from the soul of a Valley native ignites a spark of hope for our Hispanic authors and poets. Fidelio guides us through those vulnerable first tenacious moments of a relationship to its painful termination, and finally, the knowledge that one can survive and flourish from having been involved with another person. Beautifully executed and poignant in its portrayal, this book of poems evokes the memories of early love relationships and unrequited lovers. Fidelio has captured the heart and soul of lost innocence and recovery from a love gone amok." -Kathleen Carroll, Ed.D. Grito is a unique collection of poetry reflecting the people and culture of deep South Texas, the Rio Grande Valley, where every soul is unique, and folks march to the beat of their own drum and speak in their own native tongue in a Tex-Mex kind of way. From early poems of adolescent angst to the discovery of Latin machismo to falling under the spell of puro South Texas love, each of these poems abandons the rules of uniformity. The Latin voices of this region, with their vibrato and singsong beat, make up their own iambic pentameter, and the poems featured in Grito take a transcendental, judgmental, experimental, and sentimental look at the poet's own life from teenager to young adult.