Vincent Cooper's INFIDELIS is a powerful collection of poetry that delves into the life of a Chicano outcast, drawing from the author's personal experiences as a Marine. Through lyric and Blues poetry, Cooper paints a vivid picture of the 9/11 era, capturing the raw and authentic emotions that accompanied his journey. The poems take readers on a transformative exploration, starting with Cooper's decision to enlist and continuing through the intense trials of boot camp, the joys and challenges of fatherhood and marriage, and his subsequent struggles. INFIDELIS is a testament to the power of poetry to convey the complexities of one's lived experiences and to illuminate the shared humanity that lies within us all.
From military films to punk bands and Shakira lyrics, Cooper paints scenes that "recalibrate" and speak to how not just military but also Chicano culture has moved forward beyond "grandfathers roaming guilty in the ghost world." Through this "reimagining," Cooper adds to the tradition of poets like Alurista and Francisco X. Alarcón, Chicanos whose visions provide lyric cosmologies and philosophies, able to honor and mourn "a whole other life we coulda had" while also giving a glimpse to what remains possible."—José Angel Araguz, author of
Rotura
Poetry. American. Hispanic/Latino. War. Family. 9/11.