Silent Tenants, Inquilinos Mudos, is a new collection of poetry by Mexican-American author Alberto Roblest, inspired by the author’s experience of his Hispanic immigrant neighbors during the pandemic. Published with English language translations by Maritza Rivera, these poems cross boundaries of culture to celebrate life.
“We the people will love these poems. They connect us to the native tribes of Aztlan before the Europeans arrived and before we rode the subway to work or wherever our dreams took us.” —E. Ethelbert Miller, Writer and literary activist
“From the cement of our streets to the wounds in the heart— Alberto Roblest’s poems, translated by Maritza Rivera, are fully alive. Roblest’s soul brings us together with each poem, making us less lonely.” —Grace Cavalieri, Maryland Poet Laureate
“This masterful book, ably translated by Maritza Rivera, gives voice to immigrants, workers, the often invisible travelers through the city.” —Gregory Luce, author of Riffs & Improvisations, and four other collections
Alberto Roblest is a multi-disciplinary artist and co-founder of the dual-language news website, Hola Cultura. His prior published poetry volumes include Ortografía para piromaniacos, and Entre los Signos el diminutive, and this is his first poetry collection in a decade. A recent collection of short stories, Against the Wall, was published in English translation by Arte Publico Press in 2021. Roblest’s work is in numerous literary journals, including La Jornada Semanal, Félix Magazine, Revista Generación, Raza Teca, Poesía Relim, and Revista Baquiana. Translator Maritza Rivera is a well-published poet in English and Spanish, founder of the Mariposa Poetry Retreat, and co-editor of the afro-latin poetry anthology, Diaspora Café: D.C.
Cover art © Alvaro Sanchez, used by permission