My first thoughts about Sherman Alexie

Today, as I was reading the poems from "The Summer of the Black Widows", I found myself reading more than was assigned. I think one thing that holds my attention is that his poems allude to settings where I have been. I like that I can picture the places and things that he writes about such as Lookout Mountain, the Spokane falls, and the gondolas at Riverfront Park. I have also watched the movie "Smoke Signals" (everyone should watch it) and I feel connected to Alexie even more because I have seen his work played out in film.

Even though much of Alexie's writing is didactic, one can also find the humor in his lines. After reading some of his poetry I feel as though I am the Indian boy on the reservation who loves basketball. Then I realize that I am the scrawny white girl who is actually horrible at basketball. But I find it amazing that his writing is so captivating that I become a part of the stories. He forces the reader to feel his experiences- leading me to better understand what American Indians have gone through.

Alexie's writing style is easy to follow (for the most part) and usually his meaning is pretty clear. Although I still do not understand "Totem Sonnets" but I am sure I will understand it on Tuesday. My favorite poem so far has been "That Place Where Ghosts of Salmon Jump". I like how he combined Indian legend with real-life history. It shows how much the white man has changed nature. Just like the American Indians used to be free to move, the salmon used to be free in the Spokane river. I would have never thought about dams as bad things before but now I am sure that I will always look at the Spokane falls differently. This is what Alexie does- he changes your mind about things without even giving warning.