Smokehouse Boys

Be drawn into world of rushing rivers and blackberry wine, of ancient forests and barroom seductions, of maidenhair and heroin. This is the vibrant vocabulary of Shaunna McCovey, a member of the Yurok Indian tribe, whose poetry captures the day-to-day struggle of northwestern California’s native people. With a voice as varied as her subjects, McCovey’s elegies, songs, and polemics are a necessary addition to the poetic language of California.