“That’ll be two tacos, a cup of menudo and some poetry please.” At least that’s what I imagine an order at one of the many taquerias in San Diego may sound like.
Last night PBS had a special report on Latino art and culture and one of the features was on the Taco Shop Poets. Like performance poets at bars and coffee shops across the nation, these poets can be found mixing words and stirring emotions but in the environment of the taco shops, or taquerias.
The poets hope to promote the arts and form a sense of community. Maybe some of the patrons just want to have a nice meal and don’t know what to make of this, but you can’t help but hope that the poets do reach out to someone who maybe has never heard spoken poetry and it inspires them to read more or maybe even try it out for themselves.
Either way it was incredible to see them just on t.v. Maybe one day I’ll get to hear them.