World Enough Writers Author: Raúl Sánchez
Raúl Sánchez is a self-taught poet whose work reflects the immigrant experience as well as his own story. He volunteers as a bilingual mentor in middle schools, detention centers, housing for the homeless and disabled, as well as with immigrants and laborers. He leads community “Poetry in the Park” readings May–September in northeast Seattle. During COVID, he installed a “Poetry Box” in front of his home filled with single poems for the neighbors to put in their pockets as encouragement. He wrote the libretto for the Sinfonía “Moctezuma” monologue in response to Vivaldi’s Motezuma, original version for Orquesta Northwest. Some of his poems have become permanent public art in Seattle and Shoreline.
Raúl reading from When We Were Water with C. W. Emerson
Poem from When We Were Water
Ode to an Old Typewriter
Last night, I dug it up from the basement. Dad’s old typewriter, as I’ve done before. Although tired and lonely under fine dust, rusted out from all the letters written before. It was long ago when my father, returned from the land up north, heard of Italian typewriting machines the invention of Camillo Olivetti. I began to strike the key-tops, but the ribbon spool was loose. Then the typebars jammed— letter in deep dark black ink after the platen and the feed roller gummed up in the grim of night. Slowly I began to type, familiar sound, clack, clack, clack, ding! The light of day will see the letters fly. I just hope the ribbon will hold, for the ropes within each clack, clack, clack, ding! Ring, swish and fly through the right. The platen to the left, a new line will pour out of dusty keys: tap, tap, tap. Sentiment given typed, black ink on paper white, only the typewriter knows how hard it is— to touch the keys Dad once did the same keys I strike, while wiping tears from my eyes.
