My initial reaction to the poem Mexican is Not a Noun by Francisco X. Alarcón was that it was a bit confusing and vague. It really doesn't make much sense, but in order to understand it you have to read out side the words and really think about it. However, I was able to take from it that Alarcon feels that being Mexican is not easy and a lifelong struggle. Alarcón begins the poem by putting the word Mexican in quotations to imply that he does not agree with the general use of the term. He says that the term Mexican is not a noun or an adjective. He goes on to say that “Mexican” is a life long low-paying job a check mark on a welfare police form". (Alarcón, 2002) Alarcón emphasizes throughout the poem that Mexican’s low paying jobs are
