SOURCE: Ríos, Alberto. “The Body of My Work.” Genre 32, nos. 1, 2 (spring-summer 1999): 27-39.

In the following essay, Ríos contends that the “language of the body” plays a significant role in his poetry.

What the United States does best is to understand itself. What it does worst is understand others.

—Carlos Fuentes

I've said many times that my first language was more or less Spanish. It's true, but it's not true, too. Mine was Spanish the way potlucks are meals, which is an apt comparison, I think. My language, finally, consisted of whatever words would get me dinner. In that sense, my first language was the same as everybody's. And in this moment, pointing at my mouth was as strong as anything I could say, as strong as “dame comida,” or “give me food.”

It was a child's existence, and children find their way. Pointing and winking and...