Not Vanishing

by Chrystos

Passionate, vital poetry by acclaimed Native American writer and activist Chrystos addresses self-esteem and survival, the loving of women, and pride in her heritage.

Genres: Poetry, Indigenous, LGBT, Queer, Nonfiction, Native American, Lesbian

105 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1988

About the author

Chrystos is a Menominee writer and two-spirit activist who has published various books and poems that explore indigenous Americans's civil rights, social justice, and feminism. Chrystos is also a lecturer, writing teacher and fine-artist.

Reviews

[Chey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This poetry collection by Chrystos, an urban Indigenous lesbian poet, is still as relevant, poignant and beautiful now as I'm sure it was when it was first published over 30 years ago. Chrystos explores Indigeneity as an urban Indigenous person who's disconnected from her culture and family, setter colonialism, her sexuality as a lesbian, racism within LGBTQ spaces, abuse and sexual violence, as well as a myriad of other important topics. Not Vanishing is essential reading for anyone interested in Indigenous and lesbian literature/experiences.

[Mary Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite poems: Crazy Grandpa Whispers, Doctor's Favorite Color, I Dreamt Again Tonight Of That Beach, Stripping Lunaria

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

essentially the english language fails me sometimes when i want to capture the depth of importance of experience, and i can't find words for what i want to say here about gratitude and reverence. this collection is full of love and strength and rage that all are incredibly deep and powerful. her form is unique and impactful & the pairings of poems on facing pages embellishes impact. models of family, love, ancestry, and lineage that are decolonized and beautiful are everywhere. i read work like this from a particular place as a white settler queer femme; one element of my place is in recognizing where i do not understand or know, recognizing where emotion and sensation are evoked that move me into feeling love and solidarity, and where gulfs between my experience and what is here are stark, where my own lineage of violence must be seen and felt, as well. made me want to reread anzaldúa's borderlands/la frontera, which is one of my formative influential texts as a white feminist who grew up about half an hour from the southern california border with mexico.

[Ai Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

A set of really evocative poems that dig into your head. Her line breaks are just dazzling, and the material itself is painful, angry, and so tender and soft by turns. I would love to spend more time with it, and want to for sure. Strongly recommend.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful. Important. These poems should be read widely and often.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extraordinary. Poetry-enjoyer or not, this is it

[Hollis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was slightly let down by this volume, but it was still nice to get a closer look at Chrystos' non-anthologized work. Some of my favorite pieces include “Crazy Grandpa Whispers” (1), “I Walk in the History of My People” (7), “Maybe We Shouldn’t Meet if There Are No Third World Women Here” (13), “Savage Eloquence” (40), “Water” (97), and “Ceremony for Completing a Poetry Reading” (100). Many of these poems are dedicated to various women in the authors life and, depending on your familiarity with 1970s and 80s West Coast women-of-color feminisms, there are some recognizable names. Most of these poems are imbued with care, turning on a sense of intimacy shared between women or the speaker and the reader. Many others read as warnings, like the June Jordan-esque "There is a Man without Fingerprints," which acts out a longing for survivance in the face of predatory masculinity. Formally, most of the volume occupies a space in between free verse and experimental prose poetics. I'll say just a little bit more about two highlights. One, "Savage Eloquence," a stunning response to genocide, linked between (non)human familiars; reading it brought Joy Harjo's "Anchorage" back to mind, given both poems investment in the relationship between mapping the world and political acts of language. Finally, “Ceremony for Completing a Poetry Reading” (100) is a beautiful performance of ‘giving’ from author to audience. It is wonderfully placed at the end of volume and I recommend reading it aloud after taking some time to read a handful of the author's other poems.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found a copy for a dollar (a dollar!) and realized it was signed. I'm happy to have second-hand blessings, especially from Chrystos. Her anger is profound, and there's a lot of depth in this collection. "White Girl Don't" remains a favorite.

[Merrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gripping and uncompromising; not afraid of catching the fish, gutting it, and eating it too

[Queer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do I start. These poems are bare. The stories harrowing, hardened and hopeful. Their purpose seems to deepen with time.

[Nathaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A soft old song for every lesbian who wants
                                                to go home
                                            again & can’t
with her woman lover in her arms”

(from “Crooning”)

[Jodi Klash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal, inspiring, heartbreaking, not too far from our current realities. Equal parts beautifully eloquent works and viscerally impactful.

This collection of works has helped me heal and understand the ways in which many of our paths are aligned as indigenous femmes

[Howard Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most spiritual poetry, urbane, searching, distinctive, probing, unique.

[Bryce Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chrystos' poems are beautiful, tragic, powerful, crushing, and, above all else, important.

[Abi (The Knights Who Say Book)]

A handful of these poems were assigned reading for a class, and even after finishing the assignment I would very much like to read the whole collection some day.

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read. Astonishing, raw, powerful, tender. My favorite poet.

[RiverJasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really beautiful and urgent. I find myself reading these poems again and again.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

The vast and expansive imagery that Chrystos uses never ceased to amaze me, as she reminded me what people have gone through, continue to go through, and possibly will continue to go through, for being poor, homosexual, black, indian, a woman, or any number of other pointless "adversities". Persecution and raw emotion ring true in poem after poem. Not to say that every poem in this book is political or downbeat. There were a number of poems about love and the joys of being in love, but in general, I find the poems that rang truest were the ones that were political. I mean, the personal is political.

[Courtney LeBlanc · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of stream of consciousness poems that focus on heritage, abuse, family, survival, politics, and addiction.

from Doctor's Favorite Color: "Her office blue enough to break you accusations in her indigo / velvet throw pillows her coarse royal blue hopsacking couch / her teal tweed carpeting where hours of my mind unreeled without / catching anything"

from There is a Man Without Fingerprints: "Her words a morgue / This is not a poem it's a newspaper a warning written quickly / Always be on guard ready to kill to survive / He has no face He could be any man / watching you"

[Nomy · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is some of my favorite poetry, so raw and smart and real... i love chrystos, her work, her perspective, and the fact that she exists... i used to read this shit and cry and wish i could express myself so clearly...

[Caleb Tankersley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Visceral lines that often read like stories. Very accessible for those who are less inclined to poetry. That's not to say it's simple or easy to understand. Only that A number of prose poems anchor the collection. Wonderful and surprising in the best way.

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and unforgettable.

[Leah Horlick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm fairly certain every queer in Vancouver needs to read this. Especially white queers.

[Lyds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chrystos' earliest and best.