Natalie Diaz offers a unique perspective with [b:Postcolonial Love Poem|44094069|Postcolonial Love Poem|Natalie Díaz|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1566106111l/44094069._SX50_.jpg|68574999], and as a queer Mojave poet she explores a number of topics that I have never seen expressed so eloquently. I feel like it has become kind of trendy these days to write about “decolonizing” the past, or envisioning a “postcolonial” future. I say this not to belittle this expanded movement, but rather acknowledge that this collection is a genuine standout amongst a growing field of insightful cultural criticism and art.

There was one passage in particular that I felt elevated the text in a way that allowed it to make good on the promise of the book’s name:
“Americans prefer a magical red Indian, or a shaman, or a fake Indian in a red dress, over a real Native. Even a real Native carrying the damage and heavy blues of a river in her body.
What threatens white people is often dismissed as myth. I have never been true in America. America is a myth.”

Diaz’s anger is palpable, but the prose is beautiful. “Red, white, and blue” do not invoke patriotic feelings of belonging, and this is due to a lifetime of exclusion. Inclusion can be hollow when it comes in the form of commercialized cultural appropriation or neatly packaged caricatures that elevate stereotype over reality. Inclusion is a myth when a subjected people must still bow down to a larger hegemony, one that inherently devalues other cultures and perspectives.

Overall, I really enjoyed this collection, and would definitely recommend it if you are interested in these topics or this type of art.