1991 PEN Oakland Josephine Miles Award for Literary ExcellenceThe Concrete River is a collection of poems by poet laureate of Los Angeles Luis Rodriguez. They illuminate the gritty idiosyncrasies of immigrant life in urban barrios spanning Los Angeles to Chicago to Harlem. Rodriguez lends powerful voices to those struggling to keep the gas on, to find work, and to keep love. Populated by a vibrant cast of characters, ranging from the drugged, to the eccentric, to the heartbroken, Rodriguez's poems protest capitalism, violence, and exploitation while reveling in the potential of compassion.