Somos Nopales by Eddie Vega
Somos Nopales has been called beautiful, powerful, and chingón. It's the poetic journey of the son of a Mexican immigrant written as he navigates a world where American, Mexican, and Mexican-American cultures collide, co-mingle, and occasionally cooperate. The book serves as a tour into a Nepantlero heart, moving in and among the in-between spaces where the poet often finds himself. Along the journey, readers will meet Vega's family along with other characters which enrich the South Texas narrative. Poems touch on subjects including: identity, immigration, family history, and Chicano culture.
Eddie Vega is a poet, spoken word artist, storyteller, and educator. His poetry has been displayed on VIA Buses and downtown San Antonio buildings. His first full-length collection of poetry, Chicharra Chorus (FlowerSong Press) was published in 2019 and he is the 2021 recipient of the Literary Arts Grant from the Luminaria Artist Foundation. In 2022, Vega won the Haiku Death Match at both the Southern Fried Poetry Slam and the NSFPS BlackBerry Peach Slam. Vega was named best local poet by the San Antonio Current in 2022. His latest project is a collection of poems written by South Texas poets entitled, Asina is How We Talk.
Vega writes about food, Tejano culture, social justice, and the intersections thereof. Known as the Taco-Poet of Texas, he can be found nightly at an open-mic, slam, or taqueria anywhere throughout South Texas.