4 stars
Fantastically written, this collection explores history and the human connection to the land. Through stunning verse, Harjo shares stories and imagery of her tribe’s forced removal from their ancestorial home, her return to her family’s land, stories of her family’s legacy, her own personal experiences, and creative new tales featuring well-known characters from Mvskoke folklore.
Wonderful themes of nature, connection, legacy, jazz, music, creativity, and survival. The collection beautifully bridges the past and the present.
I enjoyed the variety of styles and formats the poems took, with the shared themes connecting them.
At once hard and beautiful, the collection balances the pain and injustices of the past with powerful reflections and the ever-present connection to the earth and each other.