Read this and watch the videos before you read the essays, is my advice. I’m not forcing a comment on this one — though commenting makes class more fun for everyone! — but I think you will get more out of the essays if you do this part.
Natalie Diaz. What’s not to love?
She’s a poet. She’s a warrior for language preservation. She’s a basketball star. She has the coolest insta, full of pictures of Mojave land and cool cocktails and thoughts about poetry I don’t see other places. Like this one, for instance:
…which I can’t get to embed properly. Here’s a link:
A post shared by Natalie Diaz (@ndinn)
This week, we are looking at two short essays of hers about language. But boy howdy, is her poetry also worth your time. I’m a particular fan of:
“As A Consequence of My Brother Stealing All The Lightbulbs”
“They Don’t Love You Like I Love You”
…I could go on. You don’t have to read any of those poems. But you should! She’s spectacular, and she is also still alive and writing! Get your life.
Here are a couple of videos to watch before class.
This video was made by the MacArthur Foundation, after Diaz won the award popularly known as the Genius Grant.
…And here’s me carrying on about her:
Now go read those essays!
