Poetry. Native American studies. Be drawn into a world of rushing rivers and blackberry wine, of ancient forests and of barroom seductions, of maidenhair and heroin. This is the vibrant vocabulary of Shaunna Oteka 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. Shaunna Oteka McCovey teaches at Humboldt State University in the department of Social Work. This is her first full-length book of poetry.