Craig Santos Perez talks with J. Michael Martinez

I know I’m not making an oppositional stance toward those lyric forms used by my elders. I know I love, dearly, certain lyrics we call “narrative,” “confessional,” etc. I employ those lyric forms in heredities. What I am against is anyone saying in any absolute way how or what I need to address in order to be a “Chicano” poet (or, simply, a poet).