“Grandfather would step outside and look up at the pure blue sky, the wrinkles on his face deepening, mimicking the dry cracked earth as he searched for the clouds.”

“‘Run!’ Kyle screamed at me, took my hand, and pulled me down the hallway. He pushed me into a room and covered my mouth. Whatever was after us ran past the room.”

“When it comes time for you to part ways, you ask if she’ll be alright. Her hollow smile betrays the doubt before she even speaks.”

“It started off as little specks of smoke and eventually turned into a single fire all in one. As I reached the ground, I went as fast as I could in the opposite direction of the flames.”

“The Warriors versus the Cowgirls, too fantastic to be made up, and the mascots couldn’t be more fitting.”

“A man walked into an El Paso Wal-Mart, training his aim on families gearing up for back-to-school. Mothers were armed with carts with new backpacks, markers, glue, and notebooks.”

“Shí’ee’ ’éí łeezh bee łíbá sílį́į́’ lá. My clothes became adorned with dust and dirt. ’Áko t’óó nízhónígo shí ’éé’ bík’ídíídláád. The Sun ribbons beautifully adorned my clothes.”

“With words about savages, standing too long in the sun to know what’s good for them. My mother stands strong. I raise myself higher, in proud nickel likeness.”

“Old dogs of Taos, dream off wounds – together they sleep in shade under clouds, dozing off sunshine in the long shadow of the old earth house.”