Posted on Aug 19, 2023
'The Border Simulator' poetry book explores encounters at U.S.-Mexico border
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The U.S.-Mexico border is hotly debated and polarized in politics, often gracing headlines. But a new book examines it in a new way: through poetry.
“The Border Simulator” by Gabriel Dozal, translated by Natasha Tiniacos, tells stories of a brother and sister who attempt to cross the border in search of a better life. Dozal says that inspiration for the pair of siblings came from stories he’d heard of his own family members’ experiences at the border.
The poems are all written in English and Spanish, each one translating slightly differently to account for clever or figurative language. Tiniacos says that bilingual readers get a rich, multi-dimensional experience reading both versions.
Dozal — who grew up in El Paso, Texas, and has family in Juarez, Mexico — says that the general perception and polarization of the border don’t match up with his experiences. In the book, the border is represented as a simulation.
“The Border Simulator” by Gabriel Dozal, translated by Natasha Tiniacos, tells stories of a brother and sister who attempt to cross the border in search of a better life. Dozal says that inspiration for the pair of siblings came from stories he’d heard of his own family members’ experiences at the border.
The poems are all written in English and Spanish, each one translating slightly differently to account for clever or figurative language. Tiniacos says that bilingual readers get a rich, multi-dimensional experience reading both versions.
Dozal — who grew up in El Paso, Texas, and has family in Juarez, Mexico — says that the general perception and polarization of the border don’t match up with his experiences. In the book, the border is represented as a simulation.
'The Border Simulator' poetry book explores encounters at U.S.-Mexico border
Posted from wbur.org
Poetry
Reading
Mexico
Immigration
Refugees
Posted 9 mo ago
Responses: 2
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."In his writing Dozal personifies the border, using poetic devices to reveal complex contradictions. He says that the border is hard to define, even for someone like him who’s lived near it most of his life.
“I feel like the border is part of my personhood, part of my blood,” Dozal says. “The border is this intricate machine. It’s this intricate world where language, culture, politics collide. I think it defies definition in that way.”
..."In his writing Dozal personifies the border, using poetic devices to reveal complex contradictions. He says that the border is hard to define, even for someone like him who’s lived near it most of his life.
“I feel like the border is part of my personhood, part of my blood,” Dozal says. “The border is this intricate machine. It’s this intricate world where language, culture, politics collide. I think it defies definition in that way.”
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