Native Guard: Poems: A Pulitzer Prize Winner

I read this book for my poetry class, and also had the privilege of hearing Natasha in person.However, I must say that this is nothing terribly special. I'm aware she received the Pulitzer Prize, but I think people just take that for granted as justification for the book being amazing or something.It's not that the book did anything wrong per se - it was well crafted and refined and brought perhaps all the variety and attention to form you'd expect in an award-winning book. However, that's all there really was. It's everything you'd want in "good" poetry, but nothing to make it stand out as profound. It draws on the oh-so-cliche topics of racial identity and the civil war, and doesn't do much but reiterate well-explored thoughts. There are few moments of truly engaging insight, few challenges to already preconceived notions.I listened to Natasha herself read and explain elements of what she'd written. He readings were, quite honestly, bland and scarce in feeling. She focused on intonations and form in the pieces, and offered no clue into the true subjective motivations behind the words. As for the explanations, they were interesting, but not too interesting. She mentioned things like the guilt over never having truly honored her mother, etc. Those things may be true to a degree, but it all sounded so constructed and matter-of-fact...thoughts that did not transcend the casually reflective. In other words, she was merely saying what she thought sounded poetic. I'd have liked more substance, and ideas that were more fresh.It's a book written to please. That's my interpretation as a writer myself - take it as you may.

Product was good I just didn’t wanna read it

Well researched; these poems do a tremendous job of connecting history with the present.As word-smithing goes: Trethewey plays with the language and structure of these poems in ways that are delightful to observe. Compelling word choice, line breaks, sources of inspiration... she masters all the things that make poetry tricky to write, pleasurable to read, and powerful in communicating ideas and stories that matter.

This poetry is being used by our book club reading southern literature.

No, the issue with this book is not that it is neither poetry nor prose but the fact that we see random frames of a larger, more continuous story in the poet/author’s mind. This is erratic writing and seem to have won the Pulitzer for the effort. Mediocre narration, valiant attempt.

Natasha Trethewey's Native Guard had me hooked from the first poem. Not only is her writing chock full of imagery and beautiful diction, but the subject matter is haunting and compelling. She gives witness to the many injustices that the members of the Louisiana Native Guard were put through, and also the injustices that were directed toward her and her family. Although she is specifically writing about racism and discrimination against blacks and inter-racial issues, her work is so universal--it reminds us all about how our history shapes us and makes us who we are today. Simply beautiful.

I came to this collection after reading the wonderful poem "Myth" which appears within. I was surprised and disappointed to find it was one of the only stand out poems. For me, there is no consistency in the quality of poems, and it seems like it would have been much better served with more of a variety in the perspectives through which her mother and her racial heritage are viewed. As much as this book is lauded and talked about, I expected far better. I would much recommend other Pulitzer Poetry books before reading this one, like Life on Mars or Faithful and Virtuous Night.

I love the book but am very disappointed in Amazon. The included audio will not play with their app on my Android phone, tablet or PC. Android app gives a message that the audio is not supported on my device and the PC version doesn't say anything just doesn't play. I purchased it with the app but there was no indications that the audio was not supported.