"These are the poems of a master poet. . . . When you read these poems, you will learn to hear deeply the sound a soul makes as it sings about the mystery of dreaming and becoming." - Joy Harjo, Mvskoke Nation, U.S. Poet Laureate
Pulitzer Prize winner and celebrated American master N. Scott Momaday returns with a radiant collection of more than 200 new and selected poems rooted in Native American oral tradition.
One of the most important and unique voices in American letters, distinguished poet, novelist, artist, teacher, and storyteller N. Scott Momaday was born into the Kiowa tribe and grew up on Indian reservations in the Southwest. The customs and traditions that influenced his upbringing-most notably the Native American oral tradition-are the centerpiece of his work.
This luminous collection demonstrates Momaday's mastery and love of language and the matters closest to his heart. To Momaday, words are sacred; language is power. Spanning nearly fifty years, the poems gathered here illuminate the human condition, Momaday's connection to his Kiowa roots, and his spiritual relationship to the American landscape.
The title poem, "The Death of Sitting Bear" is a celebration of heritage and a memorial to the great Kiowa warrior and chief. "I feel his presence close by in my blood and imagination," Momaday writes, "and I sing him an honor song." Here, too, are meditations on mortality, love, and loss, as well as reflections on the incomparable and holy landscape of the Southwest.
The Death of Sitting Bear evokes the essence of human experience and speaks to us all.
Show more
"These are the poems of a master poet. . . . When you read these poems, you will learn to hear deeply the sound a soul makes as it sings about the mystery of dreaming and becoming." - Joy Harjo, Mvskoke Nation, U.S. Poet Laureate
Pulitzer Prize winner and celebrated American master N. Scott Momaday returns with a radiant collection of more than 200 new and selected poems rooted in Native American oral tradition.
One of the most important and unique voices in American letters, distinguished poet, novelist, artist, teacher, and storyteller N. Scott Momaday was born into the Kiowa tribe and grew up on Indian reservations in the Southwest. The customs and traditions that influenced his upbringing-most notably the Native American oral tradition-are the centerpiece of his work.
This luminous collection demonstrates Momaday's mastery and love of language and the matters closest to his heart. To Momaday, words are sacred; language is power. Spanning nearly fifty years, the poems gathered here illuminate the human condition, Momaday's connection to his Kiowa roots, and his spiritual relationship to the American landscape.
The title poem, "The Death of Sitting Bear" is a celebration of heritage and a memorial to the great Kiowa warrior and chief. "I feel his presence close by in my blood and imagination," Momaday writes, "and I sing him an honor song." Here, too, are meditations on mortality, love, and loss, as well as reflections on the incomparable and holy landscape of the Southwest.
The Death of Sitting Bear evokes the essence of human experience and speaks to us all.
Show moreN. Scott Momaday (1934-2024) is an internationally renowned poet, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, artist, teacher, and storyteller. He authored numerous works that include poetry, novels, essays, plays, and children’s stories. He won the Pulitzer Prize for his debut novel House Made of Dawn and was the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Academy of American Poets Prize, the National Medal of Arts, the Ken Burns American Heritage Prize, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize Foundation's Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award, and the Frost Medal for distinguished lifetime achievement in poetry. A longtime professor of English and American literature, Momaday earned his PhD from Stanford University and retired as Regents Professor at the University of Arizona. In 2022, he was inducted into the inducted into the Academy of American Arts and Letters.
“These are the poems of a master poet, born of an age when our ears
were not so bent towards digital production. Or should I say, these
are the poems of a bear who has walked through several generations
and stands before us, breathing clouds into a cold dawn, bearing
this book of poetry. The bear’s journey is mythic, a migration
through tragedy and beauty, over lands rich with horses and
stories. When you read these poems, you will learn to hear deeply
the sound a soul makes as it sings about the mystery of dreaming
and becoming.” — Joy Harjo, Mvskoke Nation, U.S. Poet Laureate
"An admirable capstone to a distinguished literary career, this
splendid selection should be a treasure for Momaday’s readers and
an excellent introduction for those new to Native American
writing." — Library Journal (starred review)
“Firmly steeped in Kiowa heritage and indigenous oral storytelling
traditions, Momaday breathes in the spirit of the Southwest and
breathes out masterful imagery onto the page. The poems beg to be
read aloud in order to savor the taste of the language, each word
carefully chosen to evoke shape, sound, sight, feeling and history
with the weight of its intention. . . . This incredibly personal
collection of poems presents deep reflections on the natural world,
indigenous history and the nature of humans, animals and God.” —
Shelf Awareness (starred review)
"[A] generous collection . . . . each poem reflects a lifetime of
writing across the intersections of history, identity, and
language. This accessible compendium allows readers to savor the
life's work of an unparalleled poet." — Booklist
"A gem of a collection. . . . Soulful, heartfelt, beautifully
constructed, and technically brilliant, this is a book written by
one of our most important and unique voices." — Fjords
"The single best collection of works from a master of Native
letters." — TCJ Student Magazine
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