Jean-Pierre Rueda has found a way to return to his childhood home in Costa Rica again and again — through memory and the written word.
The poet released his bilingual poetry collection Love Between Downpours last year. The book explores how poetry can bridge distance — across oceans, memories and generations. Rueda, who emigrated from Costa Rica as a teen, uses sensory memory, especially the scent of rain, to reflect on nostalgia, identity and belonging. We sat down with him to talk about how writing helps him stay connected to home, family and self.
Q: What inspired Love Between Downpours?
It started with rain. I was driving home from Long Beach one summer, and it began raining just as I reached the 710. That smell — humid, earthy — instantly took me back to Costa Rica. I haven’t been back in over 20 years, but I felt like I was there. That moment of longing became the foundation for the book.
Q: Your poems feel deeply personal. How does family memory shape your work?
When my brother and I emigrated, we didn’t see our mom for a year and a half. I was 15. We held onto old photo albums — trying to keep those memories alive. That desire to preserve moments became a kind of survival mechanism. Now, I try to bridge memory and sentiment to give others something hopeful through poetry.
Q: What were the challenges of writing a bilingual book?
It was originally going to be all in Spanish. But when I started doing readings, I saw how diverse the audiences were. Some poems ended up flowing better in English, so I rewrote them. Being bilingual means I often think in two languages at once. I wanted the book to reflect that experience, even when the words aren’t literal translations. Some things — like the word aguacero — just don’t carry the same weight in English.
Q: Did you discover anything new during the writing process?
Yes — how universal the search for identity is. Whether people are immigrants or just moving from one place to another, there’s often a longing to belong, to remember. Poetry helped me tap into that and connect with others through shared experience.
Q: How have historical figures influenced your poetry?
I’m drawn to people who break out of the boxes they’re put in. One example is Franklin Chang-Díaz, the first Latin American astronaut. He’s Costa Rican and Chinese, and he came to the U.S. just to pursue his dream. Even with huge accomplishments, he’s not widely known. I want to highlight figures like him — people who’ve quietly shaped history and deserve to be seen.
Q: What’s next for you?
I’m finishing a new bilingual collection focused on everyday heroes — teachers, artists, mentors. I’m also hosting a poetry segment on KTNQ 1020 AM, the Dodgers’ Spanish-language station.
Q: Any advice for aspiring writers?
Go to an open mic, read something out loud, write a single line. You never know what it might turn into.
“I will button up my chest
with every decade I’ve lived far away
from my birthplace.”
-Love Between Downpours