Skin Like Mine

by Garry Gottfriedson MFA

Poetry. Native American Studies. SKIN LIKE MINE presents a suite of poems that peel away the skin of contemporary first nations society to reveal an inside view of individual experience. Today's youth, Gottfriedson says, are "afraid of themselves." He finds that both individuals and bands end in "tangles," that they write "nonsense words in the sand" or exploit images painted on rocks, those "the postmodern Indian calls / visual poetic expression." As the collection continues, however, his love for the land emerges. He draws attention to the rape of the natural environment through clear-cut logging. He speaks of the damage caused by the pine beetle, of "forests being / eaten from the inside out." And here it is that Gottfriedson introduces the mysterious Horsechild, who is to prepare the drying racks for the returning salmon "so that beneath your skin / the mountains will be forever abundant": a prayer for us to protect the migrating salmon with their multi-year cycles, to protect the bears and eagles that feast upon them, so as to assure that the transformations will continue, that there will be abundance for both humans and the earth itself.

Genres: Poetry

122 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2010

Reviews

[Rebecca]

This book is separated into 4 sections: Skin Like Mine, Scalps and Derma, Tender Terminology, and Wolf Eyes. The sections gradually narrow in, and become lighter in tone as the book progresses.

Skin Like Mine
Angry. This section has a global view of Indigenous issues.

Scalps and Derma
Bitter. This section is about Canada. It talks about the interactions between the Canadian government and indigenous people. It contains my favourite poem "One Tribe Canada", which is a rhythmic and angry piece about Aboriginal sellouts.

Tender Teminology
??? Secwepemc Level. This section was the one I understood the least.

Wolf Eyes
Sex, love, hope. Many of these poems are addressed to Horse-child, and are the planting of seeds for the future. These poems are the most positive. I felt guilty enjoying these good-feeling poems after the ravaging of the first three sections.

Poems of Note

Bones
This poem upturns naturalist imagery. It shows an earth filled with bones and topped with bones. The natural cycle has halted.

Aggression

she's all man but then
some women hate themselves
enough to hate men

I think this poem victim-blames an abused woman for not being feminine enough.

I love the way Gottfriedson handles adjectives: moss-scent skin, charcoal voice, TD interact inspiration. He also has an excellent handle on rhythm.