Tekonwatonti: Molly Brant: Poems of War

by Maurice Kenny

Tekonwatonti/Molly Brant was the sister of famed warrior Chief Joseph Brant and wife of legendary Sir William Johnson. In a remarkable sequence of voices that span centuries, Kenny eloquently addresses the power of belief and the importance of memory, and grants Molly her rightful place as one of the most powerful figures in Native American history.

Genres: Poetry

209 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1992

About the author

Maurice Kenny, Mohawk, was born in Watertown, NY. His work has been published in almost 100 journals, including special issues, especially on Native American writing.

In 2000, Maurice received the Elder Recognition Award from the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers. In 1996 On Second Thought was a finalist for the Oklahoma Book Award in fiction.

Maurice's book of poems, Blackrobe : Isaac Jogues, B. March 11, 1607, D. October 18, 1646, was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, as was Between Two Rivers. He is the recipient of a National Public Radio Award for Broadcasting. His book The Mama Poems received the American Book Award in 1984. The Bloomsbury Review cited Wounds Beneath the Flesh as the best anthology of 1983.

Reviews

[Angélique (Angel) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection is a thought-provoking showcase of Kenny's poetic and narrative prowess. Its greatest strength is its ability to be deeply evocative while also thoroughly educational. By the end, I felt like I knew more about not only Molly Bryant and those closest to her but also the history of the Mohawk and the US. I wish I had received this type of history lesson earlier in my life.

[Caitlin Conlon]

a well researched & crafted collection with a defined narrative running throughout. I think that having background on the history written about in this book would enhance your experience of reading it, but that it isn’t necessary! they were a lot of really lovely lines in here, & I’m grateful to now know who Tekonwatonti was & what she did here.

[Tashia]

not very good had to read it for school so

[Laurie Petersen]

Fascinating research, good channeling effort.