Copyright @1987 by Gloria Anzaldua Acknowledgements To you who walked with me upon my path and who held First Edition a hand when I stumbled; to you who brushed past me at crossroads never to touch me 16-15 Aunt Lute Book Company to you whom I never chanced to meet but who inhabit PO. Box 410687 orderlands similar to mine to you for whom the borderlands is unknown territory Holy Relics"first appeared in Conditions Six, 1980 minist Arts Journal, VoL. 4, #1 to Kit Quan, for feeding me and listening to me rant and Cervicide"first appeared in Labyris, A Fer Winter 1983 to Melanie Kaye/ Kantrowitz, for believing in me and being Ene nombre de todas las madres que han perdido sus hijos en la guerra"first there for me; pearce Joan Pinkvoss, my ditor and publisher, midwife Cover and Text Design: Pamela Wilson Design Studio dinaire, whose understanding, caring, and balanced mixture of gentle prodding and pressure not only helped me bring this Cover Art: Pamela Wilson baby "to term, but helped to create it; these images and words are for you Typesetting: Grace Harwood and Comp-Type, Fort Bragg, CA To the production staff at Spinsters/Aunt Lute who bore Production: Cindy Cleary Lorraine grassano he pressure of impossible deadlines well: Martha Davis whose Martha davis Ambrosia marvin invaluable and excellent copy-editing has made the material Debra Debondt apus molina nore readable and cohesive; Debra De Bondt who worked long osana Francescato Sukey Wilder Amelia gonzalez Kathleen Wilkinson and hard to keep the book on schedule; Pam Wilson and Grace Harwood Printed in the U.S.A to Frances Doughty, Juanita Ramos, Judith Waterman ales, Mandy Covey and Elana Dykewomon for their support and encouragement, as well as feedback, on various pieces; to my San Francisco: Aunt Lute friends, students and colleagues in the ADP program in Vermont p,;prt,122 College, Women's Voices Writing Workshop, UCSC,and writers who participated in my writing workshops in NYC, New Haven, sBN1879960125(pbk):59.95 San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, and Austin, Texas, in particu lar: Pearl Olson, Paula Ross, Marcy Alancraig, Maya valverde 1. Mexican-American Border Region-Poetry, 2. Mexican-American r Region-Civilization. Ariban, Tirsa Quinones, Beth Brant, Chrystos, Elva Pere Trevino, Victoria Rosales. Christian McEwen. Roz Calvert. Nina PS3551N95B61987 81.54-dc19 入CB760M8 Newington, and Linda Muckle