Super Short Summary

Be Recorder by Carmen Giménez Smith is a poetry collection divided into three sections, addressing the past, present, and future through personal, cultural, and political lenses, exploring themes of identity, the immigrant experience, capitalism, gender, and resistance. The titular poem, "Be Recorder," emphasizes the necessity of observing and documenting social injustices, while other poems like “Origins” and “No Apology: A Poemifesto” delve into personal reflection and societal critique. Themes of mental health and the decline of a beloved mother are also present.