The Many Deaths of Inocencio Rodriguez

WINNER OF THE BERKSHIRE PRIZE

Iliana Rocha, Tupelo Press, 2022

Polaroid of Iliana Rocha with sunflowers

Praise for Rocha

“These are the poems of a new fire. Raw fire makes a unique trail as it burns. They are fueled by a passionate, lyrical surrealism. This is a border politics kind of surrealism, emerging from a poetic sensibility in which there are no borders. This collection in essence embodies a fresh kind of creation story emerging from the Americas. It’s like reading Rimbaud for the first time. We are struck by an unabashed presence of a fearless singer.”

—Joy Harjo

“Formally vibrant, Iliana Rocha imagines and reimagines the deaths of the forgotten-Inocencio Rodriguez, AKA John Doe. Through multiple tellings and retellings, the author attempts to perform last rites for those who have received no ceremony. . . I am transfixed by the way that lyric and narrative are woven into this bold and elegiac tapestry that touches, not only on violent flashpoints but most essentially on the revenants that speak, long after loss, to the resounding failures of our humanity. This is an exquisite book.”

—Oliver de la Paz

Featured Publications

There are currently no events.
Polaroid of a moth
Play Video about Iliana Rocha reads on the Beat Podcast. This is an image of Rocha alongside the Beat logo

The Beat

The Beat is a poetry podcast by Knox County Public Library, hosted by Alan May. Iliana Rocha was a guest on April 1, 2024.