Translator’s Note
In her succinct — yet richly imagistic — poetry, Verónica González Arredondo explores the arid desert ecosystems of northern Mexico that were once covered by oceans, as well as themes related to Mexican and Central American immigration, social justice, femicide, perilous border crossings, and the disappearances of countless girls and women who were making the journey across harsh terrain, toward the U.S. border. She writes about extinction and survival, disappearing landscapes, displaced peoples, and the inhospitable climate (physically, politically and metaphorically) that remains in their wake. Each year thousands of immigrant children, women, and families attempt to cross into Mexico or the U.S.; for some women seeking amnesty, finding a refuge from their current situations is a question of life or death. Verónica González Arredondo’s work is more relevant today than ever. Through her poetry, she provides a voice for those who are often silenced or have disappeared.
