Riding the Earthboy 40 (Penguin Poets)

I'm giving this three stars, because I don't "get" modern poetry. It could be awful, could be brilliant, I wouldn't know. I didn't understand much of it, but was I supposed to? I don't know. I do know that I had to buy this book for school, but the University store wouldn't take it so I donated it to the local library, where I hope dozens discovered this book of poetry and were edified by it, but fear it may have been discarded. That's probably poetic in of itself. And really sad, but art! so I guess it's a win?

Engaging early poetry from the Indian novelist James Welch.

Just as described and arrived on time

Great addition to my library.

Remarkable! Fluid narrative, striking metaphors.

On my first pass through this book, it seemed as if Welch was cracking jokes every few lines, and I was charmed by his use of language and his oblique approach. I have read this book many times since, and now realize that Welch is nothing less than a warrior, with brilliance, irony, and intelligence shining through each stanza. This is an important work, not only for those interested in Native Americans but for the beauty that it shines on the human experience.

I love this book and studied it in an Indigenous lit class in Santa Fe with Simon Ortiz. The poems have a breath of their own. Amazing collection.