I Miss Getting Lost
A spirited haiku-inspired travelogue capturing modern Yucatán through hybrid verse, memory, and intentional curiosity.
I Miss Getting Lost began as an experiment in haiku and evolved into something more playful and free-form. While rooted in the classical five-seven-five structure, this collection drifts beyond, combining verse and prose into hybrid poems that sit closer to senryu and haibun than traditional haiku.
Written as travelogue-in-haiku, each of the five sections reflects a separate journey to Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, and a distinct experience of place, sensory, and self. From basking alongside iguanas to retracing foliage-filled paths of pre-Columbian civilizations, these poems transport readers into the textures of the up-and-coming Yucatán.
Composed of 110 hybrid haikus, I Miss Getting Lost melds Japanese poetic form with contemporary voice. So pull up a camastro, let the sand settle between your toes, and sip these moments slowly.
Abuelita, I Am Your Grandson
A wholesome, yet whimsical collection of autobiographical stories of a son learning the ropes of his family’s business, a Mexican restaurant.
Julio’s Café opened more like an emergency parachute than it did like an eatery. Lucero’s father, also Julio, could not endure cubicle life and thought roasting chickens was his best way out. With the help of his suegra and sister-n-law, Lucero’s endeavor not only bore fruit, but also laid down a foundation for the following generation.
Nearly four decades, and several twists and turns later, Lucero’s ex-wife and eldest son shouldered the torch of the restaurant. Until one day, an impossible decision stood before the family, one that questioned the sustainability and longevity of the business. With memories still intact, Lucero’s son began to collect and document his own experience working in the family business.
Abuelita, I Am Your Grandson is a tune that hits every note on the scale, ranging from Mexican gastronomy, to business, to lessons in language and culture. Told through snapshots and not one throughline, Lucero’s collection is impactful, yet economical, perfect for readers who crave bite-sized snacks over a laborious meal. Buen Provecho.