antonio pedro ruiz
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Live Poetry
“Launched by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996, National Poetry Month is a special occasion that celebrates poets’ integral role in our culture and that poetry matters. Over the years, it has become the largest literary celebration in… Continue reading
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Fear and Loathing in America
“The moment we no longer have a free press, anything can happen. What makes it possible for a totalitarian or any other dictatorship to rule is that people are not informed; how can you have an opinion if you are… Continue reading
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Inside My Brain, Through My Heart
The following writing samples are the final products of free writing exercises I refer to as “Exercising Those Writing Bones.” These were part of my Theatre 389 Playwriting class during the Fall 2023 semester at CSULB. We received various prompts… Continue reading
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space is the place/an ode to Sun Ra
Just past midnight on New Year’s Day in 1980, I witnessed a performance by the late jazz composer, bandleader, pianist, synthesizer player, and poet Sun Ra in Washington, D.C., while under the influence of acid. This is a tribute to… Continue reading
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My Fellow Americans: An Open Letter
The following letter has been revised to reflect the recent inauguration and the ensuing catastrophe. Dear Fellow Americans, what the hell were you thinking? Is this really the best we could do? There were realistically only two choices unless you… Continue reading
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Suicide by Living
This poem is based on an incident I witnessed while visiting San Francisco. This is not a slam against the city. This could have been any city or town in America. There is something wrong with a nation where anyone,… Continue reading
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America
I was born and grew up in the United States of America. From an early age, I was taught that this nation was the greatest in the world. No question. In Catholic elementary school (1954-1962), we were taught to “…pledge… Continue reading
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untitled random poems #2
i am not alonethere are plenty otherswho remember when we believed optimismin the worldus could transform changesweep away the dust blow away the stenchtake swings at the concrete foundationswith a force so deep inside of usthat the walls wouldcome crumbling… Continue reading
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The Enemy is (Us)
In my essay “The Cult of Hate,” I wrote about the long list of groups of people that I’ve been taught since I was a little one to fear, suspect, abhor, accuse, dislike, battle if necessary, and kill if I… Continue reading
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Breaking Eggs
“You cannot make an omelet without breaking eggs.” Robert Louis Stevenson 1897 “Breaking people ain’t the same as breaking eggs. All you get are broken lives.” Antonio Pedro Ruiz 2025 According to my handy Google AI Overview, when you ask… Continue reading
