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Jeff Hartzer's avatar

Anyone of these, great enough; this whole collection simply amazeballs.

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Georgena Felicia's avatar

Time and War Story laid me out - Vision busted me to laughter. Always a pleasure to "track" you!

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Georgena!

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Rachel Hutcheson's avatar

I loved reading these poems. Wow, wonderful!

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Rachel.

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yvonne's avatar

Many of us want to be that warrior.

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Yelling at Clouds's avatar

you make magic look so easy - so simple, but it's not. Blood courses through these lines. Fear and anger and sadness and loneliness and pride and love. All blended together in symbols you send through the air. Magic. All of it. Thank you for being you.

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Ernie Brill's avatar

I will bare witness to the day I turned witless

When my words vanished,

scared shitless.

This happened before, ninetten in the rural New Hampshire's sharp brackles

I lost people's prescence, and moved in with the grackles

Who did not need to translate my cackles'

Nor did their spines clatter up and down terrified

About what they heard from a new horrific , uh, uh

a creature beyond a mere bird

as I woke each predawn silvery sliver preGRACK at dawn

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Ernie Brill's avatar

This poem is for the birds, my emo frend of frenzy in the forenzic forest that cannot be seen for the trees since you cannot go out on a limb and branch out stumping your friends and, phew loved ones who try to innerstunned your new caws that has thousands of POEtential fallowers, and nevermined the nevermore becaws- the maw the merrie and I am affableto your laughable and we can play and ply the beek-a-boo if given butt a GHOST of a chance. PLAY IT AGAIN SAME. (ONE MO' TIME AND YOU CAN GET AN APPRENTICE RATING UNION CARD FOR THE ALLNIGHTSSLUMMERS MUSICIAN UNION HOW WOULD YOU LIKE THAT! REVISIT THE QUESTION THE OLD TEAMSTERS ONCE HAD:

Is hoffa union betterthan. non at all????????????????????????????? to be continued

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Justin Deming's avatar

Stunning and inspiring work, Sherman. Thank you for these gifts!

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Justin.

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Joan DeMartin's avatar

Thanks for these little beauties, Sherman. I never wanted to be a warrior who defeated my lifelong grief, because it never entered my head or my heart that defeating my grief over the loss of my father was even possible. Is it?

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Cecilia Camardo's avatar

Thanks for these gems. They sparkled my day.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thanks, Cecilia.

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Amy Letter's avatar

I absolutely adore every single one of these <3

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Amy.

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Roger  Golden's avatar

Thanks, Sherman, for sharing these gems.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Roger

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Annie's avatar

Correction: I misquoted. Should have said "Everything we are" not "Everything we have".

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Everything we are AND eveything we have. The typo is accurate!

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Annie's avatar

All seven of these are clear and lovely. I was especially moved by WAR STORY, and your father's bluff and tenderness. From HOW IT HAPPENED, the line about man's tool making and creativity --"everything we have was constructed from thirst" has haunted me from my first reading, several hours ago. Thank you for sharing your vision and always making me think more deeply.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Annie.

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Ann-Marie Stillion's avatar

Thanks for the poetry.

"How it Happened

In the absence of cups,

we shape our hands

into cups, dip them

into the river, fill them

with water, lever them

to our mouths, and drink.

Humans are toolmakers

and everything we are

has been constructed

by thirst."

I have been renewing my vows to my art life lately and the thirst in this poem is everything.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Anne-Marie.

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Pamela Leavey's avatar

Wow. All 7. Wow. Every line, every word, so powerful. I think I will revist, "What I've Stolen, What I've Earned", tonight.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Pamela.

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Pamela Leavey's avatar

My pleasure, you are one of my favorite contemporary poets! Your work really resonates with the poet in me.

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Toni Prehoda Kahler's avatar

I loved following you down this poem-path---each poem held me still and thoughtful while I listened and listened, and felt and felt.

Loved the lightness of your natural being---on through time & ages & life---all the way through to the lightness of love.

Bravo---this set of yours sticks to the heart.

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Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Toni. It was fun to play with the poem's order.

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