Jose Luis Rivas (b. 1950) writes in a more classical style than many of his contemporaries. His voice is one of the most important in recent Mexican poetry, a reference point for his generation and a link with the long tradition of fine writing from Veracruz, so rich as to constitute almost a national literature by itself. Ante un calido norte draws together the greater part of Rivas's poetic compositions--original works and translations--from both before and after the turn of the millennium.