Agua Santa / Holy Water

by Pat Mora

Like Sonia Sanchez and Sandra Cisneros, Pat Mora draws on oral and lyrical traditions; she reclaims the history and culture of her Mexican roots, especially real and imagined Mexican women of the past, from a tribute to Frida Kahlo to an interview with an Aztec goddess.

Genres: Poetry

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Pat Mora (born 1942) is a female Mexican-American author and poet. Pat Mora was born in El Paso, Texas. She is married and has 3 grown children.

Reviews

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my Christmas present to myself just before we changed centuries and got ready to enter another millenium - I thought it was appropriate to give myself a book that had spiritual and political ramifications. This was a truly awesome book - my favorite of Mora's collections, full of images and ideas that resonated deeply with me, in spite of my not being Mexican-American. Having lived on the Texas-Mexico border for most of my life, I can identify with so much of what she writes about here. I also love the empowerment these poems give to women - truly wonderful book. Although I love the lyricism of her newer Adobe Odes, and it has become my latest favorite of her works for the sheer musicality, this collection remains my favorite in terms of the effect the poems had/have on me.

[Sophia Nuñez · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are some lovely poems here, but also many attentive to the history, pain and potential that are part of the Southwest. I particularly like those that center on the experiences of women, mythical or ordinary. The section "Cuartero Mexicano," with a series of advice-filled poems from the iconic Mexican figures Coatlicue, Malinche, the Virgin of Guadalupe, and La Llorona, grants them powerfully poignant voices. So, too, does "La Migra" turn the dominating force of the Border Patrol on its head in the poem's second section, when the Mexican woman speaks not of her victimization, but of her resilience.

[Victoria Llanos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really different look at "famous" Latina deities and myths. A collection of poems in the form of interviews, mainly, from the point of view of these iconic figures. Mora reverses the negative connotations behind these religious and pagan figures by celebrating them and humanizing them.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant book with subtle, sharp poems.