A widely published poet, fiction writer, and critic, Chris Semansky teaches literature and writing at Portland Community College. In the following essay, Semansky explores the relationship between nostalgia and poetry in Ortiz Cofer's poem "The Latin Deli: An Ars Poetica."

In terms of population, the fastest growing segment of the United States is Hispanic. Hispanics constitute the second largest minority population in the country next to African-Americans, and Spanish is the most frequently spoken foreign tongue. Mexicans, Cubans, and Puerto Ricans make up the bulk of the Hispanic population. The Mexican population is largely concentrated in the West and Southwest, with states like California and Texas boasting the largest numbers. Cubans have a large presence in South Florida, and Puerto Ricans are heavily concentrated in New York City and northern New Jersey. The United States, or the "mainland," as it is known to Puerto Ricans, is considered...