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Dynamic poet, novelist shares the power of the written word

Photo courtesy of UA Press

Demetria Mart地ez is the author of a new poetic collection titled "The Devil's Workshop." She reads from her book tomorrow at Reader's Oasis.

By Sanders Fabares
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Friday Feb. 15, 2002

Appealing to the spiritual, sexual, political and emotional aspects of the human experience, poet Demetria Mart地ez has it all covered.

In her newest book of poetry, "The Devil's Workshop," the youthful author explores some of the darker sides of life. A work six years in progress, the book represents a deeply personal account of the author's relationship with her work.

"I am intrigued by the time women spend being idle as a result of their relationships," Mart地ez said. "I came to realize that as a poet, I go nuts if I haven't written. Idleness is synonymous with one's loss of identity."

The following excerpt from a poem, titled "The Devil's Workshop," exemplifies these feelings:

I could not write
A straight line the years we
Were lovers, the years the
Devil made his most
Acclaimed paintings
Out of my spilt ink

Mart地ez's lifelong love of writing began in junior high school, when she started keeping a journal and listening to Joni Mitchell records.

"I loved the complexity and melancholy nature of her lyrics," Mart地ez said. "I would take her melodies and substitute my own words."

From the beginning, Mart地ez understood the power of the written word.

"I was a painfully shy girl who couldn't speak out loud, so I learned to speak with my hand on the blank page," she said. "Poetry saved me. It kept me alive."

Continuing through adulthood to nurture her love for poetry, Mart地ez found a career in reporting. While freelancing for the Albuquerque Journal, she covered a story about the Sanctuary Movement - when churches and families smuggled Central American refugees into the southwestern United States during the '80s.

As a result of writing about the movement, Mart地ez was charged with conspiring against the U.S. government. The charge carried a potential 25-year prison sentence.

"As a poet, it was my worst fear, having my words turned against me," Mart地ez recalled. "It was a terrifying time."

A year later, Mart地ez was found innocent of the charge on First Amendment grounds. "Mother Tongue," a novel recounting her experiences with the indictment, was Mart地ez's way of dealing with her feelings about the trial.

Robert Con Davis-Undiano, professor of Chicano literature at the University of Oklahoma and Mart地ez's colleague, said he sees her work as "intense, passionate and precise."

"Quite simply, she's one of the best poets of modern day and one of the legendary writers of the Southwest," he said. "As a committed activist and idealist, she doesn't recognize any boundaries."

Davis-Undiano also recognizes the darkness present in "The Devil's Workshop," but understands its value.

"It is definitely dark in some ways, but also searingly honest," he said. "It is because of this honesty that the book also shows us hope."

Davis-Undiano considers Mart地ez's work a requirement for Chicano literature classes nationwide.

Mart地ez presents a free poetry reading and discussion Saturday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Reader's Oasis, 3400 E. Speedway. The author said she enjoys sharing her poetry in public readings.

"The best poetry readings are exchanges of wisdom, energy and feelings between the poet and the audience," she said. "Each reading is like a concert, a tribunal event."

Some readings are more difficult than others, she admits.

"My first reading after Sept. 11 was in Santa Fe a day later," she recalled. "I didn't know how I could do it. It turned out wonderful. I found that the poems became a vehicle of conversation, letting people express their feelings."

For more information about Saturday's reading, contact Reader's Oasis at 319-7887 or www.readersoasis.com.

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