That's What She Said: Contemporary Poetry and Fiction by Native American Women

by Rayna Green (Editor)

The poems and stories Rayna Green has chosen for this collection represent some of the most interesting and innovative writing in today's literature, yet their authors are for the most part unrecognized outside of feminist and Native American circles. That's What She Said provides an opportunity to become acquainted with a unique, exciting body of work.

Genres: Poetry, Native American, Short Stories, Anthologies, Female Authors

330 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1984

Reviews

[aPriL does feral sometimes · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is lovely poetry in this book. There also are a couple of short stories. I think the purpose of the book was mostly to prove female American Natives can: 1. write (yes, they can), 2. have understandable feelings of loss, regret, pain, 3. women would run the world better than men do ( I agree).

If you enjoy poetry, gentle reader, I'm sure there will be some in here you will like.

[Bertha · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

A diverse range of voices yet within the specific genre of Indigenous Women.

the underside of trees:

color of leaves
fading into shadows
branches opening
for the sun
limbs becoming forests
shade
becoming the other side
becoming our dreams
our loneliness
the undersides of trees
are the undersides of turtles
the bellies of the great fish
the puma nursing her young
all that stays
when bones turn to chalk
where everything drops
dried and bloodless
and returns
to the roots
to become
other trees

[Rachel Jackson · Rating 1 out of 5]

No matter how many times I give poetry a chance, I almost always leave it disappointed. I was really looking forward to reading some great Native American poetry about Native pasts, presents and futures, but instead all I got was some new-agey sounding drivel about nature and being one with the world. I enjoy highly politicized poetry in the first place, so this was especially disappointing. I did enjoy Joy Harjo's poems more than anyone else, but not nearly enough to rate this compilation more than one star. It just did not captivate me nearly as much as I was hoping. And poetry fails me again.

[Vashtaylamiria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books on Native American women'swriting with women from diverse backgrounds, tribes .Some are straight ,others lesbians, some live in cities , others in rural areas. Whether it be through poetry or stories what unites them is the power of their words. Their words are as if living peoples who both help them not only to survive but to spread the seeds of their knowledge and creativity. Speaking truth and weaving reality and dream into a sacred place where women are honored and chosen for being who they are.....contributers in the living story.

[Lori]

Contemporary poetry and fiction by Native American women