This, the first publication (collection?) of poems by Martin Del Toro Gutierrez, “Naturaleza del Amor”/“The Nature of Love”- in both Spanish and English - is the culmination of his lifelong experiences and journeys, travelling throughout his country of origin, Mexico, walking mostly on foot traversing the breadth and width of his native country. The lessons learned were and are (continue to be), what he holds most dear in life - the importance of two things: one - that the way of peace is the best and only way to be and to conduct oneself in life – and: two- is the importance of love in all forms it takes.
“Naturaleza del Amor/The Nature of Love” is about a life well lived, the many chances taken (he took?) in living a life well lived, the people he met on his journeys and, most importantly his unshakeable faith in humankind, especially his faith that he holds in the nature of love that is in us all and that it is strong enough in us all to sustain us (all). It is his life-long mantra.
This varied collection explores the range and meaning of what love is in all its various forms.
He was born in Ocotlan, Jalisco into a family of carpenters, musicians and salseros/salseras (chili and salsa makers). His father Alberto Del Toro - stage name, Torito - gained national recognition touring throughout Mexico (from the 70s to early 2000s) as a guitarist, singer/song writer, steeped in the songs of romantic traditional of Mexico and with the catalogue of over 500 songs in his head and at his avail.
The guidance and inspiration he from these early the influences – the romantic love songs of his country - is evident in his poems. The cadence and rhythm and the heart-felt is solidly there, yet also rock-steady assurance and belief in the power of love - what it means to love and to be loved.
Occupationally, he trained in many professions and worked every job imaginable. He served as a sailor in the Mexican Navy, he was a tour guide and owned his own boat providing water-taxi service between Puerto Vallarta and Yelapa, both in Jalisco, where he grew up. Moving to Sayulita, Nayarit, in the early 2000s, he worked as a bouncer in a well-known club, but with his in-born habit of only practicing peace and love, he never had to bounce anyone. He is also a skilled rock balancer.
Inspired and encouraged to write poetry by his American-born wife, a poet and painter he met in Sayulita while working as a bouncer, he began writing and firt got up at the mic to read, as a performance poet, at bar Don Pato in 2009. He has written and performed poems ever since. More recently, also encourage and supported by his wife to start painting, he now has several hundred paintings to his credit.
Currently he lives internationally, with his wife who is a dual US/UK citizen (also a well-established poet/painter) splitting the year between Sayulita, Mexico and in Margate (Kent) UK and occasionally in Spain.
He has performed up at the Mic, throughout the UK, participating in well-known slams - Hammer & Tongue Hackney (London), the Cheltenham Poetry Festival Slam (Gloucestershire), numerous events/performances as part of Taking the Mic at the Exeter Phoenix (Devon) and as part of Wonder Zoo Performers in Plymouth (Devon). He has read his poems at innumerable International ZOOM Open Mics, reading his poems in both Spanish and English.