Manuel Maples Arcewas a driving force in the modernization of Mexican poetry in the 1920s.HisEstridentismowas an energetic avant-garde movement that brought the Mexican Revolution to the arts, and the Mexican literary community into the 20th century. Maples' poetry, spanning more than six decades, is of a value that should create for him a respected place among the prominent Latin American poets of the 20th century.In this study, historical literary references and connections are made to aid the reader in placing Maples Arce's work in context to gauge his merit and to justify his place in Hispanic letters.The introduction to the historical avant-garde provides the necessary background and context, especially for the English-language readership, and an overview of Estridentismo is included both for the sake of information and to rectify errors and omissions in some past criticism. It is the aim of this study to illustrate the cohesiveness and the trajectory of Maples Arce's poetry.The persona or protagonist in these poems, the yo, appears to be a poet, and may or may not be an autobiographical Maples Arce.