Merrimack Valley

LAWRENCE: Poet finds inspiration on Lawrence streets Cesar Sanchez Beras publishes 10th book

By Yadira Betances
Staff Writer
Published: February 13, 2008

LAWRENCE — Cesar Sanchez Beras found more than a home when he moved to the city in 1995 — he discovered a muse to express his impassioned feelings through poetry.

The architecture of old buildings, the railroad tracks, the mammoth mills, the magnificent churches and the people that make up the Immigrant City have served as inspiration for his work.

Sanchez Beras, 46, published his 10th book — "Lawrence City and Other Poems" — last year.

"The book shows people another view of Lawrence through words," said Sanchez Beras, a Spanish teacher in the math, science and technology academy at Lawrence High School.

The first poem in the book is "Lawrence City."

"I wanted to start with that poem to show how much I love the city," he said. "I'm a Lawrencian who lives, works and contributes to this city."

The book contains 150 poems and many focus on Lawrence landmarks, including the Ayer Mill clock, City Hall, the railroad tracks running through the city and Bellevue Cemetery. Sanchez Beras' poems were translated into English by Rhina Espaillat of Newburyport, who herself has written many poems about the immigrant experience.

Other poems talk about Sanchez Beras' feelings on rainy or snowy days in the city, strolling through the park and city streets and the people he meets.

His words are punctuated by vivid black-and-white photographs of a sea gull landing on the Merrimack River, leaves strewn on Campagnone Common in autumn and a picture of City Hall on a rainy day by photographer Milton Amador.

"When people ask about Lawrence, there will be words and photographs to describe what the city was in a gilded age that no longer exists," Sanchez Beras said.

Sanchez Beras began writing in 1984 and published his first poetry book — "Memories from the Past" — in 1993.

He said he finds thousands of stories to tell.

In addition to his adopted city, Sanchez Beras said he is moved by the works of Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca and Lawrence's own Robert Frost.

"My goal is to be like him," he said of Frost. "I love his work because he was honest in what he said. That's why I like poetry, because it allows you to tell with words what you can't express yourself."

Sanchez Beras was named poet laureate at Cambridge College in Lawrence.

The words of "Lawrence City," which speaks of beauty and despair, are engraved in both Spanish and English along the hallways of the campus. His writings also are etched on the walls at Cafe Azteca on Common Street.

He is a proponent of culture and literature in the classroom, as well as in the community.

For the past several years, Sanchez Beras has teamed up with Newburyport High English teacher Debbie Szabo and brought students from Lawrence and Newburyport together to exchange ideas and cultural differences through poetry.

"It's the richness of the people, who they are and what they can give us that makes this city great," he said.

About Cesar Sanchez Beras

Born in San Pedro de Dominican Republic

Studied law at Santo Domingo Autonomous University in 1988

Moved to Lawrence in 1995

Works as a Spanish teacher at Lawrence High, where he also leads the Spanish Club.

Founded poetry club in Lawrence. He also is a member of the Pow Wow River Poets of Newburyport.

Won first prize in the Dominican annual Prize for Children's Literature and the Dominican annual Prize for Poetry, both in 2004. Was first-place winner of the Dominican National 10-stanza poetry competition, 1990.

Served as cultural adviser to the Dominican consulate in Boston, 1996-2000.

Named poet laureate at Cambridge College, Lawrence, 2004.