AnnMarie's Blog English 255

when I join my grandmother

for a tasa de café

and I listen to the stories

de su antepasando

her words paint materpieces

and these I hang in the galleries of my mind:

I want to be an artist like her (1414).

In this passage from “apprenticeship” Evagelina Vigil-Pinon speaks of spending quality time with her grandmother and learning of her Mexican ancestry.  The poem demonstrates two different generations where the older generation passes memorable life experiences to the younger generation.  Her grandmother’s words are so descriptive and beautiful that she compares them to artistic paint masterpieces.  The words become long lasting memories shared between family.  Pinon says “I want to be an artist like her” because she wants to convey the same stories to the next generation of her Mexican-American family.  I enjoyed this passage because it demonstrates the idea of identity.  When a person is knows their identity and ancestry it provides a sense of pride and self worth.  The passage also demonstrates an intimate scene with Pinon and her grandmother and it conveys their close knit family relationship.