Page One, produced and hosted by author Holly Lynn Payne, celebrates the craft that goes into writing the first sentence, first paragraph and first page of your favorite books. The first page is often the most rewritten page of any book because it has to work so hard to do so much—hook the reader. We interview master storytellers on the struggles and stories behind the first page of their books.About the guest author:MATT SEDILLO, the first poet on the Page One Podcast, is being hailed by historians and journalists as the "best political poet in America." He has written two collections of poetry, CITY ON THE SECOND FLOOR and MOWING LEAVES OF GRASS, which are currently being taught in several California colleges. Matt Sedillo has also been described as "the poet laureate of the struggle" by academics, poets, and journalists. He has appeared on CSPAN and has been featured in the Los Angeles Times and other publications, in addition to traveling the world to speak at major conferences, forums, and universities including Cambridge. His Three Act Poem structure has been taught at UCLA and Occidental College. Sedillo is currently the Literary Director of the Mexican Cultural Institute of Los Angeles, where he leads weekly writing workshops. He is currently at work on a book-length poem “Elon Musk Must Be Stopped.” He lives in Los Angeles.He has given us permission to share his poem “PILGRIM”Pilgrim by Matt SedilloSee, some were born to summer homesAnd palatial grovesWhere pain was only to ever unfoldFrom the pages of Secret GardensWhere the Red Fern GrowsBut not ISee, I come from the stockOf starry-eyed astronautsWho greet the night skyWith big dreams and wide eyesAlways RunningDown the Devil’s HighwayThrough Occupied AmericaOn the way back toThe House on Mango StreetAnd all those other booksYou didn’t want us to readRaised on handballOff the back wallOf a panaderiaBornEast the riverPost Mendez vs WestminsterOne generation removedFrom the redlinesAnd diplomas signedThat those dreamsIn that skinNeed not applySee, I come from struggleAnd if my story offends youThat is only ‘cause you made the mistake of seeking your reflectionIn my self-portraitSee, thisWell this may not be about youBecause while some were bornTo the common coreWhose reflected facesGraced the pagesOf doctrines to discover And ages to be explored Where old world hardships Crashed against new shores New EnglandNew HampshireNew JerseyNew YorkFor others pushed offTurtle IslandAztlanDo not call this brown skinImmigrantChild of the sunSon of the conquestMexicano bloodRunning through the veinsOf the eastside of Los AngelesDo not tell himIn what native tongueHis song would best be sungDo not tell meWho I am‘Cause I was raised just like youMiseducated in some of thoseVery same schoolsOff lessons and legendsOf honest injuns and Christian pilgrimsAnd a nation of immigrantsAll united in freedomThat is until they pulled asideMy white friendPointed directly at meAnd said ScottI judge you by the company you keepAnd you spend your time with thisAnd that’s the same old story since 1846The adventures of Uncle SamThe stick-up manHey wetbackShow me your papersNow give me your laborThe Melting PotWas never meant for the handsThat clean itThe American dreamHas always come at the expenseOf those who tucked it inAnd you don’t know that ‘Cause you don’t teach itCould write you a bookBut you won’t read itSo you know whatThis is about youAnd 1492And the Treaty of GuadalupeCalifornia MissionsAnd Arizona schoolsAnd these racistsThat try to erase usAs we raise their kidsIn cities that bear our namesBut you’re going to learnSomething today‘Cause from FerdinandTo minutemanFrom ArpaioTo AlamoFrom Popol VuhTo Yo Soy JoaquinTo the Indian that still lives in meFrom Mexico 68To the missing 43They tried to bury usThey didn’t know we were seedsFrom Cananea mineTo Delano strike From the Plan De AyalaEmiliano ZapataJoaquin MurrietaLas AdelitasBrown BeretsAnd ZapatistasFrom Richard NixonTo the Third NapoleonFrom PeckinpahTo HoustonFrom Lone Star RepublicTo Christopher ColumbusAll the way downTo Donald f—g TrumpWe didn’t cross the bordersThe borders crossed usWho you calling immigrantPilgrim? About the host:Holly Lynn Payne is an award-winning novelist and writing coach, and the former CEO and founder of Booxby, a startup built to help authors succeed. She is an internationally published author of four historical fiction novels. Her debut, The Virgin's Knot, was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers book. She recently finished her first YA crossover novel inspired by her nephew with Down syndrome. She lives in Marin County with her daughter and enjoys mountain biking, surfing and hiking with her dog. To learn more about her books and private writing coaching services, please visit hollylynnpayne.com or find her at Instagram and Twitter @hollylynnpayne.If you have a first page you’d like to submit to the Page One Podcast, please do so...
