Work Done Right

by David Domínguez

My red pickup choked on burnt oil as I drove down Highway 99. . . . Abraham Tovar is a young man who works in a sausage factory and desperately longs to create a history of his own. As Abraham's life becomes absorbed into the blood and spice of pork, his thoughts explore his ancestry, roam the stars, and reflect upon the despairs and strengths of factory workers who live with "the unyielding memory of pig."

I pulled into Galdini Sausage at noon.
The workers walked out of production
and swatted away the flies desperate for pork.
Pork gripped the men and was everywhere,
in the form of blood, in the form of fat,
and in pink meat that stuck to the workers' shoes.

Work Done Right is a sequence of narrative poems, told with a lyricist's tenderness and an eye for detail, that address the human condition in unexpected ways. David Dominguez explores Abraham's struggle to maintain personal dignity in harsh circumstances, juxtaposing bleak images of the sausage factory with the hope of finding one's true place in the world. Through his sensuously textured words, he pays tribute to people and place as he takes readers on a mystic journey toward redemption.

Genres: Poetry

66 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2002

Reviews

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Work Done Right is a collection of poems narrated by Abraham Tovar, a young Latino factory worker at Galdini Sausage. Abraham feels unsatisfied with his life and strives to make his own history. The poems follow Abraham’s journey of employment at Galdini Sausage, showing the brutal yet mundane work of processing pork. Dominguez also explores Abraham’s childhood memories and experiences with his close friend, Guillermo. The poems tell a story of grim realism, but also a childlike sense of hope.

As someone who doesn’t usually enjoy reading poetry, I actually quite liked this book. The poems contain a good deal of metaphors and other poetic devices, but to a degree that is still digestible for a beginner in reading poetry. The poems also explore Abraham's identity as a Mexican American, showcasing the cultural experience that the workers share at Galdini Sausage. The focus on culture intrigued me as someone with Mexican heritage who is not connected to the culture. The characters often bond over Mexican dishes and share meals with each other, illustrating the cultural value of food to the workers. The importance of food to the characters alongside the memories Abraham has of Mexico and their influence on his life both give readers insight to the experience of Latinx people in America.

Additionally, I enjoyed the social commentary on work that Dominguez focuses on. He conveys the dangers of factory work and the negative effects of specialized labor on his characters. Abraham and other workers express the desire to escape their jobs, but feel stuck in their positions. I feel that as many jobs today have become corporate and unfulfilling, Dominguez’s work is increasingly relevant. Dominguez is shining light on the struggles of unsatisfying work and providing hope for those feeling stuck with their lives. These poems are thought-provoking and well-written. I highly recommend this book.

– Sabrina

[Ivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Work Done Right by David Dominguez is a narrative poetry book that addresses the struggles that go along with being a Latino immigrant in the United States. The story follows Abraham, a young man struggling with his identity, one he feels like he was forced into. He begins working at a sausage factory, where he interacts with many other Latino immigrants who show him different perspectives of life and show him their dreams. Throughout this, Abraham learns more about his ancestry, his wants, his goals, and learns what he is willing to sacrifice to make this true. This is his journey of self-discovery and personal growth.
I'm not the biggest fan of poetry and this made me believe that I wouldn't understand or like the formatting of the book, but I was pleasantly surprised after reading. The story had the perfect amount of details without being too long, too short, or even boring. After every poem, I wondered what Abraham got out of every experience he had and whether or not it would cause a change in him.
I’m a Latino man and Abraham’s outlook and confusion about life as a young man is something I understood all too well. Dominguez’s words make the readers feel like they are there witnessing everything that Abraham is experiencing. Culture is a huge aspect of the book, and Abraham tries to maintain it without letting it solely define who he is. This is something many young Latino adults struggle with, as they care for their family and beliefs but understand they are somewhere foreign that encourages assimilation.
I would recommend this poetry book to anyone who is interested in the human conditions of being a Latino immigrant. I liked every aspect of the book and can’t say anything negative about it. It was a great read!
- Nelzon

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a big fan of reading poems until I read ‘Work Done Right’ by David Dominguez. It’s a poem that makes you feel like you’re reading a novel (which is the reason why it was easy for me to understand better than other poems that I have read previously). This poem is about a young man name Abraham that works in a sausage factory. Abraham is Hispanic that come from hard working family members that he looks up. They all worked in a very tuff environment, so he feels like this is a phase that he must go through as well in life unless he changes. The struggle Abraham faces in this poem at the sausage factory changes the outlook of what life should really be like.
I really liked this poem because when I first started reading it, I automatically thought the whole poem was just going to be about one specific topic but as you continue reading, this poem has a lot of meanings to it. The author uses a lot of metaphor that helps you understand the poem more (especially if you’re someone that have trouble reading poems). I also chose to read this poem because it’s about someone that is Hispanic, and I am Hispanic myself, so it made it more interesting for me. This poem goes back and forth a lot, so you must make sure you read it all in one sitting to have a better understanding. The poem is less than 70 pages, so it’s not hard to read in one day.

[Mitchell Norman · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Domínguez's book of poems "Work Done Right" gives an interesting insight into the life of a Hispanic meatpacking worker in the California Central Valley in the mid 20th century. The main character Abraham comes from a Hispanic background and often reflects on his childhood growing up around parents and grandparents who he sees as figures to look up upon as he aspires to become like them. This is a contrast to his reality of rough working conditions, long hours, and low pay. Throughout the book he meets others and reflects on his situation while dreaming of the future.

I choose to read this book because of my Hispanic ancestry and was pleasantly surprised to find a lot of Spanish culture within the poems was not dumbed down or made to pander to a wider audience in order to sell more books. There were even a few terms I was unfamiliar with and had to look up myself which was great to learn about. The book is fairly short at only 66 pages but uses every page well with very little filler content. My only wish is that there was a bit less awkward line breaks which often made it hard to pick back up where you left of if you had to look away for a second. Overall it was a great book that I would recommend to anybody interested in this time period or culture!