Publisher's Synopsis
Poetry. Asian and Asian American Studies. LEAVING OUR SHADOWS BEHIND US is a debut poetry collection by Elmer Omar Bascos Pizo which recounts experiences growing up in the Philippines, years as a migrant worker living under harsh conditions in the Middle East, and eventual immigration to Hawai'i. The poems celebrate and perpetuate the Filipino community's culture, traditions, and heritage of hard-working people. Writing in English, his second language, Pizo takes great care to craft his pieces, translating his feelings into poetry, reinterpreting his life experiences, and working diligently to maintain authenticity. Challenging stereotypes, he talks about the injustice and prejudice Filipinos often encounter as migrant or immigrant workers, giving us a raw glimpse of the hardships many men and women face when they leave the Philippines and go out into the world.
