Levi Romero

Levi Romero was born two hours north of Albuquerque in Dixon, NM, which is located in the Embudo Valley in the northern part of New Mexico. The cultural and geographical landscapes of the Embudo Valley influences many of Romero’s early and later works. A notable example is his poem "Tres Copas de Chanate Black and Sweet," which features characteristics of Romero's hometown and the surrounding area. A portion of the poem reads:

"pickup trucks once dancedinto the Royal Fork restaurant parking lotfrom Gallup and Farmingtonslipping through the honeydewsweetness of ripening September."

Romero has described his upbringing as “communal,” noting that the families who inhabited the valley often shared child-rearing duties and other familial responsibilities. Romero’s first language was Old Spanish. He subsequently learned English in elementary school. Romero has stated that though he considers himself Chicano, he prefers the term Nuevoméxicano, or “New Mexican.” Further, the manito dialect, which is central to the region of Northern New Mexico, colors the bulk of the language seen of Romero's work.

Levi Romero writes almost entirely in free-verse form. He writes his poems in both English and Spanish. His first full book of poetry (In the Gathering of Silence) was published in 1996. By 2010, Romero continued to write on the side while working as a visiting Research Scholar in the School of Architecture and Planning at UNM.

A concept that Romero frequently deals with in his poetry is counterculture, primarily that which exists in the Southwest. The primary counterculture Romero examines is the lowrider (lowcura in Spanish). The lowrider tradition is known as a cultural marker in not only the Embudo Valley where Romero grew up, but in multiple places across the Southwest. In brief, the lowrider can be reasonably described as someone who modifies classic cars such that the body of the vehicle rides very close to the ground. Romero considers low-riding as a vehicle through which to express one's identity. This can be seen in the poem “Wheels,” which was published in In the Gathering of Silence. A particular aspect Romero touches on is the so-called enchantment of the low-ride. He writes:

"how can I tell youbaby, oh honey, you'llnever know the ridethe ride of a lowered chevyslithering through theblue dotted night alongRiverside Drive Española."

Romero also derives inspiration from the everyday and the commonplace. Many of his poems feature snippets of conversation from strangers or interactions that might otherwise seem unimportant. For example, "Corner of 5th & Central, featured in A Poetry of Remembrance, takes place on a street corner. Romero writes:

"I am on the corner of 5th & Centralalbuquerque, new mexicounited states of americanorthern hemisphere

the planet is divided up into four quadrants

how I got started carving?

Romero attended three different high schools during his teenage years. He enrolled at Españiola High School in Españiola, NM. Shortly after, he transferred to Peñasco High School in Penasco, NM. Romero would ultimately graduate from Menaul Boarding School in Albuquerque. After graduating from Menaul, Romero attended the University of New Mexico, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture in 1994 and Master of Architecture in 2000.

Romero has cultivated an active interest in filmmaking in addition to his poetry. Similar to his poetry, the focus of his documentaries centers around the cultural landscape of New Mexico and the people therein. One his documentaries, "Going Home Homeless," won the People's Choice Award at the 2014 Taos Film Festival.

In the preface to A Poetry of Remembrance, widely known Chicano author Rudolfo Anaya writes: “The spiritual essence of the Rio Grande corridor and its tributaries shines in every poem. From the loco to the sublime, Levi’s poems are a blessing on our heads.”

Upon its publication, A Poetry of Remembrance was also praised by the Albuquerque Journal, who wrote: "Whether recalling a 'love-hate' relationship' with his high school English teacher or remembering a street-corner encounter, Romero sees and hears the courage, grace, honesty, and beauty so many of us often miss. It is the poet's job to remind us of those things, and Romero does this admirably."

In addition to being named centennial poet of New Mexico in 2012, Romero has also earned the PBS Bill Moyers Language of Life Award.

• In the Gathering of Silence (1996) • A Poetry of Remembrance (2008) • Sagrado: A Photopoetics Across the Chicano Homeland (2013)