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Staff Pick
Spanning centuries and containing poems from more than 90 tribal nations, this anthology is divided into five geographic regions, each introduced with an essay. United States Poet Laureate Joy Harjo has compiled a rich and varied tapestry for readers to enjoy for years to come. Recommended By Mary Jo S., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
This landmark anthology celebrates the indigenous peoples of North America, the first poets of this country, whose literary traditions stretch back centuries. Opening with a blessing from Pulitzer Prize-winner N. Scott Momaday, the book contains powerful introductions from contributing editors who represent the five geographically organized sections. Each section begins with a poem from traditional oral literatures and closes with emerging poets, ranging from Eleazar, a seventeenth-century Native student at Harvard, to Jake Skeets, a young Din poet born in 1991, and including renowned writers such as Luci Tapahanso, Natalie Diaz, Layli Long Soldier, and Ray Young Bear. When the Light of the World Was Subdued, Our Songs Came Through offers the extraordinary sweep of Native literature, without which no study of American poetry is complete.
Review
This anthology is revelatory and stunning.... It shows the remarkable strength and diversity of Native poetry, which vitalizes all of American poetry. It is essential reading." Arthur Sze, National Book Award-winning author of Sight Lines
About the Author
Joy Harjo is the author of eight poetry collections, including the national bestseller An American Sunrise, and a memoir, Crazy Brave. Named Poet Laureate in 2019, she lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
LeAnne Howe is the author, most recently, of Savage Conversations. She teaches at the University of Georgia - Athens.
Jennifer Elise Foerster is the author of Bright Raft in the Afterweather. She lives in California.
Powell's Books on PowellsBooks.Blog
Whether you opt for poetry, horror, fantasy, environmental nonfiction, or folklore, the 14 new books below will expand and enrich your understanding of the diverse Native communities in the United States, and introduce you to phenomenal writers whose work is art, activism, and wholly astonishing...
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