Tropical town and other poems

the long version

Salomon de la Selva (1893-1959) assuredly was, and is, a poet for all the Americas. Tropical Town, de la Selva's little-known first collection, was written entirely in English, and employs traditional rhyme, meter, and forms. Some works celebrate de la Selva's native land, while others speak of the United States with a mixture of affection and misgiving. Love lyrics intermingle with folk songs and poems on the war. All are marked by a graceful verbal music, embodying what poet Grace Schulman has called "a poetry of deep concern for human suffering." In a thoughtful introduction, Silvio Sirias surveys the poet's life and work, and examines the "poetic dialogues" he conducted with Millay and Dario.