The Mountain in the Sea

Poetry by Victor Hernández Cruz

October 1, 2006 • 6 x 9 • 136 pages • 978-1-56689-191-2

A strong, richly lyric synthesis of Spanish, North African, Caribbean, and North and South American cultures.

Renowned for his pioneering mixture of both Spanish and English in poetry and prose, Cruz has now incorporated Arabic language and North African culture into his unique poetic idiom. As Cruz builds poetic bridges between Arab-influenced Spain, Spanish influenced North Africa, African influenced Puerto Rico, and an electrified Latino New York, he uncovers the confluence between their various geographies, histories, languages, and mythologies.

About the Author

Victor Hernández Cruz is the author of several collections of poetry including The Mountain in the Sea and In the Shadow of Al-Andalus. Featured in Bill Moyers’s Language of Life series, Cruz’s collection Maraca was a finalist for the Lenore Marshall and Griffin Poetry Prizes. He divides his time between Morocco and his native Puerto Rico.

Reviews

“[Cruz’s work] proves the extraordinary range of this great, enduring poet, whose articulately persuasive humor and intelligence bear persistent witness to a meld of peoples.” —Griffin Poetry Prize citation