Henry, the son of migrant farmworkers, has been encouraged by his mother to assimilateâbecome American. His father feels isolated from his son by the boy's lack of Spanish (and his own lack of English), leading to Henryâs frustrations with his duel existence. Henry's friend, Oliverio, an old farmworker, recites poetry to him in the fields under the stars. Embedded in the poems are messages for Henry, to help him understand his father.