Coyote's Song

Carlos Cortéz was Chicago's pioneering Chicano labor activist, print maker and multilingual poet of the 1960s to 2005. He created poems and graphics which established his role as a leading advocate in word and deed for an ecological, anti-war, anti-racist, pro-working-class society. Most of the poems were first published in the union newspaper of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) which he was a life-long member; as well as in many small press journals before he had books...
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Carlos Cortéz was Chicago's pioneering Chicano labor activist, print maker and multilingual poet of the 1960s to 2005. He created poems and graphics which established his role as a leading advocate in word and deed for an ecological, anti-war, anti-racist, pro-working-class society. Most of the poems were first published in the union newspaper of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) which he was a life-long member; as well as in many small press journals before he had books published. Many of his bold scratch board drawings and off set posters are also included in this retrospective. Editor Carlos Cumpián and Carlos Cortéz Koyokuikatl became and remained close friends for four decades. Cortéz Koyokuikatl wanted Cumpián to continue sharing and reprinting his poetry which still remains relevant today and merits republishing. Veteran visual artists Rene Acero and Hector Duarte also worked with Cortéz Koyokuikatl in the Chicago Pilsen community. The book's cover image was painted and photographed by Mexican artist and activist Hector Duarte, as an expression of his deep admiration of Carlos Cortéz Koyokuikatl. The introduction's analysis provided by fellow printmaker and teacher Rene Acero provides an additional deeper appreciation of Cortéz's cultural influences and genius. The Poetry Foundations' Fred Sasaki who contributed an overview celebrating Cortéz's posthumous induction for the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame in 2021 booklet; was once again asked to share his commentary on one of Chicago's and the nation's impressive poets. Cortéz bequeathed his wood and linoleum printing blocks to the National Musuem of Mexican Art and his poetry to MARCH Inc., they have been generous in sharing as Cortéz would have wanted his words and images for this retrospective collection which editors David Ranny and Carlos Cumpián wanted a new generation to discover through this book, Coyote's Song.