From the Bellybutton of the moon

Mexico means "from the belly button of the moon" in Nahuatl, the indigenous language of Francisco Alarcón's ancestors. When he was writing a collection of poem by that name, he had to return to the belly button of the moon to overcome writer's block.

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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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