On April 11, Francisco Aragón ’84, esteemed poet and author of “After Ruben,” made his second visit to Riordan to share his work with Michael Vezzali-Pascual’s eager AP Literature class.

Aragón’s first visit was on Nov. 22, in the wake of his 40th class reunion. He is a writer, professor at the University of Notre Dame, and a Riordan graduate from the class of 1984.

Aragón’s publications include “Puerta de Sol,” “Glow of Our Sweat,” and his most recent collection, “After Ruben,” a compilation of original pieces and ekphrastic translations.

Aragón has a degree in Spanish from UC Berkeley and NYU, and a graduate degree in creative writing from UC Davis and Notre Dame. He joined Notre Dame’s institute for Latino Studies and established Letras Latinas, which highlights the study of Latinx literature. Currently at Notre Dame, Aragón teaches an undergraduate literature course on Latinx poetry and a creative course on writing poetry.

Aragón shared his hopes of becoming more involved in the Riordan community, inspiring students to nourish their interdisciplinary aspirations and invoke them to seek creative futures.

He said, “As I get older and I stay in touch with some Riordan people, I want to make these connections more long lasting, more regular, and more meaningful. Coming to these two classes sealed the deal that I want to be more involved.”

Vezzali-Pascual’s AP Literature class is currently studying poetry. The class read Aragón’s “After Ruben,” analyzing the novel’s themes of San Francisco, family, and translations of Ruben Dario.

As a San Francisco native, son of Nicaraguan immigrants, and openly gay poet, “After Ruben” is an emotionally raw collection of personal stories and historical interpretations inspired by Ruben Dario–who after his death was revealedtohavebeeninasecret relationship with Mexican Poet Amado Nervo.

“As a gay man myself, who had to go through his own journey of eventually feeling comfortable enough with himself, it was quite an interesting experience to witness and to read that Ruben Dario may have had a similar experience…,” Aragón shared.

Aragón’s visit was an immersive experience for students to ask questions and learn first hand what they had been studying.
During the visit, Aragón answered questions and led imaginative discussions of the meaning of his work, allowing students to interpret the text as it appeals to them creatively.

“Hearing him read his poems out loud showed me the intent behind his words and helped me conceptualize the text,” said AP Literature student Genevieve Kohlmeyer ’25.

Vezzali-Pascual ’88, who helped organize Aragón’s visit, remarked, “It’s just barely scratching the surface of an introduction to a whole wide world of what’s out there in terms of the literary and artistic world that is worth exploring. All you need is somebody to light the fuse and off you go.”

After sharing his talents and engaging with eager learners, Aragón plans to continue contributing to his Riordan family.

“I want to see how I can give back and ensure that there’s ways to assist and help young people who might be interested in writing themselves,” he said.

“We are hoping to make this an annual thing, to open the pipeline between Riordan and Notre Dame University in South Bend, Indiana, and really get some excitement generated around the program [Notre Dame],” added Vezzali-Pascual.

The English department hopes this is a new opportunity to empower students to explore creative writing, delve into the world of art, and fetter a tie to the University of Notre Dame.

As Aragón perfectly articulated, “I think it’s what distinguishes us as a human species, that regardless of what’s going on, we always have this desire to create– to create art.”

This story was originally published on The Crusader on April 22, 2025.