Becoming a poet

Francisco Alarcón's Mexican grandmother sang traditional Hispanic songs while strumming a mandolin. Francisco developed his writing abilities when he decided to transcribe her original songs and discovered he had to make up the lines he'd forgotten.

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Francisco Alarcón

Children’s Author

Francisco X. Alarcón (1954–2016) was an award-winning poet who wrote for both children and adults. Born in Los Angeles, California, he considered himself “bi-national,” having spent time as a child in both Mexico and the United States. He expressed this in a poem: “I carry my roots with me all the time/Rolled up I use them as my pillow” Alarcón’s poetry was inspired by songs he heard from his grandmother, which he presented for readers in both English and in Spanish.

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