Walking on Earth & Touching the Sky

Poetry and Prose by Lakota Youth at Red Cloud Indian School
Edited by Timothy P. McLaughlin

McLaughlin, Timothy P., ed. Walking on Earth and Touching the Sky : Poetry and Prose by Lakota Youth 

     at Red Cloud Indian School. Illustrated by S. D. Nelson. New York, NY: Abrams Books for Young 

     Readers, 2012.   ISBN 9781419701795

This powerful collection edited by Timothy P. McLaughlin allows the Lakota youth at Red Cloud Indian School to express themselves through poetry and prose. All the poems are written by students grades five through eight and grants readers a chance to experience what it means to be Lakota and a kid in this century. It is important to read the introduction to understand the severe conditions of poverty, disease, drug and alcohol abuse, and unemployment these children live in and their cultural legacy.With the creative writing prompts of "Natural World", "Misery", "Native Thoughts", "Silence", "Spirit", "Family, Youth, and Dreams", and "Language" readers should expect to encounter a multitude of emotions including anger, sadness, appreciation, and love. 

All the poets in this book are students in grades five through eight. Some students are only present once while other students have more than one poem in one or more of the different sections. These students show their strength in allowing the world to read their deep feelings and emotions of life and their culture.

This original work is separated into seven different sections. The table of contents directs readers to the seven sections and not individual poems. This book also contains a foreword by Joseph M. Marshall III, an introduction, acknowledgments, an author's note, an index of titles, and an index of poets. Readers will have a plethora of information even through the illustrations. Each illustration is a never-before-published painting by author/illustrator, S.D. Nelson come with their own description and note from Nelson. The colors even in the layout are appealing with black backgrounds and bright text of predominately turquoise and orange. This book is an excellent introduction into a native american culture and poetry written by children. It would make a positive contribution to any public or school library.

A poem that I would highlight from this book is "Who Am I?" written by Dusty Black Elk. This poem would be a great introduction to having the students free write about who they are. This poem allows listeners and readers to reflect on the parts of their life that makes them who they truly are. The teacher will read the poem aloud to the class and discuss the symbolism and what the poet means in each line. The teacher will then read the poem aloud again and prompt the students to write a few lines about themselves in the same format.

Who Am I? 

by Dusty Black Elk

I am a rose in a patch of weeds.

I am a storybook mixed in with some dictionaries.

I am a chokecherry bush surrounded by oak trees.

I am a window that is broken.

I am a boy with lots of sisters.

I am an Indian surrounded by white people.

I am a football player at a basketball game.

I am a cat with a bunch of dogs.

I am an angel around a lot of devils.

I am a Walkman at a rock concert.

I am a block that tries to fit into a circle.