Bridget W. Rodriguez pulls no punches in this new poetry collection about her family legacy and life story. Her work is candid but never loses its whimsical touch or poignant tone. Rodriguez acknowledges that some of the people she has met in her life have let her down, but she never lets that rob her of her hope and faith. It is this optimism that makes her such an inspiring teacher for her high school students and allows her work to touch so many hearts and lives.
Rodriguez's first poem immediately sets the tone of her collection and portrays a powerful ode to the many "Franks" who have touched her life. Rodriguez juxtaposes the journey of her ancestor, Freedom Frank, from Ireland with the journey of her ex-husband, another Frank, from Cuba. Rodriguez shows how the past influences the present and how her own family legacy extends into an unknown future.
Other poems celebrate the joys and challenges of motherhood, illuminate the grief of losing siblings at young ages, and reflect on Rodriguez's childhood. She shares a heartbreaking family secret and her own hopes for a better future surrounded by the many people she is honored to call family.
About the Author: Bridget W. Rodriguez is a teacher, author, and poet hailing from the storied city of New Orleans, Louisiana. Although Rodriguez was raised in the South, her parents always insisted upon proper diction and wouldn't let their children gain a southern accent. Rodriguez's own rigid standards apply to the written word. As a high school teacher, she encourages her students' passion for reading and writing. In May of 2018, quite a few of her students became internationally published poets in a London-based poetry contest, and six of her students also won $1,200 CASH (3 - $100 prizes and 3 - $300 prizes) in a college literary contest.
With the full support of her two sons and her ex-husband, Rodriguez put herself through college while working as a legal assistant. She received her Master of Education from Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia. She earned a triple 7-12 teaching certification in Mississippi in Business Education, Social Studies, and English. Rodriguez is Gifted endorsed and certified in Advanced Placement Language and Composition. Her students' outstanding volunteerism has been recognized five times by the Georgia State Senate. She won $8,000.00 in Walmart's "Write to Change the Classroom" contest in 2009 ($4,000.00 for her school to use in any way the principal desired and $4,000.00 which Rodriguez used on technology to enhance her students' engagement in learning).
