No-Nonesense Narrative
Like "Oranges," lots of Soto's poems tell stories using simple, economical language. His poems rely on vivid, sensory details and descriptions rather than ornate language to create diverse, entertaining, and often moving portraits and stories. His poems are just as likely to be populated by Chicano farm workers as by a middle class father speaking to his daughter. Soto often explores big universal themes like, love, sadness, and the past by using small, personal moments. Check out "Making Money: Drought Year in Minkler, California," and "How Things Work" for more examples of Soto doing his thing.