Francisco X. Alarcón (February 21, 1954 – January 15, 2016) was born in California and grew up in Guadalajara, Mexico. His books of poems include: Ce Uno One: Poems for the New Sun / Poemas para el Nuevo Sol (Swan Scythe Press, 2010), From the Other Side of Night/Del otro lado de la noche: New and Selected Poems (University of Arizona Press, 2002), Sonnets to Madness and Other Misfortunes/Sonetos a la locura y ottos peans (Creative Arts Book Co., 2001), Snake Poems: An Aztec Invocation (Chronicle Books, 1992), and Body in Flames: Cuerpo en llamas (Chronicle Books, 1990). He also wrote several poetry books for children. Alarcón’s honors include the 1998 American Library Association’s Honor for Latino Literature, 1984 Chicano Literary Prize, the 1993 PEN Oakland Josephine Miles Award. He founded the Facebook page, “Poets Responding to SB 1070,” taught in the California Poets in the Schools Program, and directed the Spanish for Native Speakers program at the University of California, Davis.