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Indigenous Poetics is a collection of essays by contemporary Native American poets in the United States who explore how the genre helps to radically understand, contemplate, and realize something deeper about ourselves, our communities, and our worlds. The collection illuminates the creative process, identity, language, and the making of poetry. The contributors tell us, in their own words and on their own Indigenous terms, how they engage poetic expression as one would a tool, a teacher, a guide, a map, or a friend. Indigenous Poetics reveals poetry’s crucial role in the flourishing of Native American and Indigenous Studies.

Our Bearings is a collection of narrative poetry that examines and celebrates Anishinaabe life in modern Minneapolis. Crafted around the four elements—earth, air, water, and fire— the poems are a beautifully layered discourse between landscapes, stories, and the people who inhabit them. Throughout the collection, McGlennen weaves the natural elements of Minnesota with rich historical commentary and current images of urban Native life. Reverence for wildlife and foliage is pierced by the sharp man-made skylines of Minneapolis while McGlennen reckons with the heavy impact of industrial progress on the souls and everyday lives of individuals.

While working with both traditional and contemporary form, McGlennen’s unique use of space and rhythm creates poetry that is both captivating and accessible. Our Bearings does not attempt to speak for a population; rather it offers vibrant stories and moments that give voice to pieces of a large and complex tapestry of experiences. Through keen observation and a deep understanding of Native life in Minneapolis, McGlennen has created a timely collection that contributes beautifully to the important conversation about contemporary urban Native life in North America and globally.