Dragonfly Dance

American Indian Studies (AIS)

by Denise K. Lajimodiere

Dragonfly Dance is a collection of poems remarkable for their candor and sense of catharsis. Writing from the vantage point of an American Indian women, Denise Lajimodiere opens a door into the lives of Native girls and women. Her poems often reflect the deep tensions between Native culture and white culture.

     Reflected in Lajimodiere's poems, life is sometimes beautiful but rarely easy. "The Necklace," the narrator details how her mother repaired a favorite beaded necklace, "her arthritic fingers patiently / threading beads / on the long thin needle, weaving / night after night." When the necklace is finally repaired, she wears it to school where

At recess a White boy

ran by, yanked

it off my neck and threw it.

I watched as it ascended

high above the blacktop,

the beads glittered, scattering their light,

a rainbow against gray skies.

     Unadorned, direct, and often raw, these riveting poems sear their way into our imaginations, inviting us into a world we might never have known. We are richer for the knowledge.

Genres: Poetry

111 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2010

Reviews

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely and a little heartbreaking.

[Tristan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good collection. Occasionally, the pieces are a little frighteningly honest about pain and abuse and sex (not all at the same time; the poems about sexual abuse are not about sex), but overall the collection is real and honest and beautiful. I loved "Sisters of war, Lacrosse", and really loved "Round Dance at Red Lake" but there are lots of very good poems in the collection. It was a fascinating glimpse into the Native American experience, not only now, but in the past. Highly recommended for anyone with interest in or connections to that aspect of North American life. A great look into a unique culture.

[Ehryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short book of poems by Denise K. Lajimodiere is strong, insightful, and emotional. She writes about the Indian boarding schools, her family, about dancing and what that means. Her poems have this quality to them that are bold, yet can be whimsical as well.

My favorite poems were “Obodashkwanishi” and “Turtle Mountain Orchid”.

[Brian Wasserman · Rating 3 out of 5]

to be admired for its raw sensuality and genuine truth

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5