Cuentos from the Swamp by Michelle Lizet Flores

“Michelle Lizet Flores’ poems, like the forces of nature and history that propel them, masterfully demonstrate that what we take for granted can be lost in an instant, but that calamity is as often a new beginning as an ending. Perhaps their greatest accomplishment is to sing, in every sense of the word, simultaneously of beauty and its dark sides, of griefs and the hope it takes to overcome them, and of what it means to live with intimate knowledge, but without fear, of loss.”

–Andres Rojas, Looking For What Isn’t There  

“Cuentos from the Swamp made me feel like I had jumped on a plane to be with familia, but without the hassle or expense. Between mentions of abuela, mango trees, Cuba, Bingo cards, merengue, this book is easy for any U.S. Latinx to relate to. Michelle Flores‘ poetry is like smooth Buena Vista Social Club wafting through Caribbean palm trees, her words enticing me to loose myself in my imagination. I love seeing Latin America’s influence on Florida in this way, with the stark contrast of two very different cultures, with a special focus on Cuban culture.”

–Alexandra Tracy Chavarriaga, founder of Travel Latina

“From guava and mamey to banyan trees and bougainvillea, these poems are rich with the flora of Florida life, richer still in the people they portray: the friends, the lovers, the old folks, and, mainly, exuberant Michelle Lizet Flores herself, devouring a world her ancestors sought when they came to this country. You can buy a ticket and head south to experience this lushness for yourself, or you can just read this book—it’s all here.”

–David Kirby, Talking About Movies With Jesus and The House on Boulevard St.