The Broken World

┬á Selected by Yusef Komunyakaa ┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á as one of five volumes published in 1996 in the National Poetry Series ┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á "Marcus Cafagña is a poet who shies at nothing, who will ┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á not turn away from what he sees--ordinary people struggling against, and ┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á sometimes breaking on, the wheel of their fate. The Broken World ┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á is a deeply humane and accomplished first book--probing, watchful, compassionate, ┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á and necessary." ┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á -- Edward Hirsch ┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á "I challenge anyone to be unmoved by The Broken World. Cafagña ┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á never gives up in these difficult, heart-rending poems." -- Jim Daniels, ┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á editor of Letters to America: Contemporary American Poetry on Race ┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á The Broken World, the powerful debut of a poet of great depth ┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á and maturity, begins with narratives of individuals caught up in circumstance--a ┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á distressed girl on a Detroit overpass, a boy shooting baskets at a crisis ┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á center. By the end of the slim volume, Marcus Cafagña has led us ┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á through the postwar New York of Jewish Holocaust survivors to his native ┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á Michigan, where his marriage ended tragically with his wife''s suicide, ┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á a death that has come to symbolize for Cafagña the confusion and ┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á madness of the twentieth century. ┬á