poem collection by Erick Alvarado

Artist statement

The poems “Arriving” and “First Day of School” were written to reflect the perspective of a Central American child during a time of change due to immigration to the United States of America. My inspiration to write derives from personal moments in my life that seem to have a recurring theme connecting me back to the memories I have of these life-defining moments. These poems are meant to showcase my confessional artistic style and my experience as a Salvadoran-born, US citizen, and the ways in which my life was influenced because of this cultural change.

Erick Alvarado

Erick Alavarado-Lopez is a kinesiology major at CSUN. He was born in San Isidro, Cabañas, El Salvador. Him and his family migrated to the US in 2009 in hopes of better opportunities and a new life. This moment impacted the many factors that would go on to shape the rest of his life.

Arriving

​It was nighttime when I arrived in the USA.  
I could see all the lights from above, 
the cars, the buildings, the homes,  
but nothing shined brighter than the lights in my eyes 
The eyes of an 8-year-old boy
seeing things he'd never seen before. 

My heart was pumping, 
My mind wondering, 
What will my life look like now?

That excitement I would never forget,
The days that lied ahead, I would never regret,
​My life completely changed that day. 
I hope I can make my mother proud the day I graduate. 

First day of school

​My first day of school at Virginia Road Elementary was filled with confusion.
I recognized all the letters in the alphabet, but they were all in the wrong place.
Was my mind tricking me? Was this all an illusion?
I didn’t see any familiar faces. I felt like an outcast because of my language  

Learning English was not something that had interested me. 
I just wanted to go home, where I knew who I was.
Home was El Salvador, one of the smallest countries.
​Who would have thought that one day I would learn this language?