Layli Long Soldier Discusses New Book“We” And Artistic Process

(MENAFN- USA Art News) Poet and artist Layli Long Soldier discusses her newest publication,“We,” released by Graywolf Press in 2026. The work, which combines literature and visual art, is designed to be a visual experience for the reader, according to an interview with artist Dyani White Hawk.

White Hawk noted that Long Soldier's work utilizes text placement, formatting, omission, symbols, color, rhythm, pauses, reader choices, and instructional language to create rich visuals. The book also incorporates essays, short stories, photographs, and visual art. The title itself carries dual meaning, referring to the English word“we” and the Lakota word“wé,” meaning“blood,” which signifies shared lineage.

Long Soldier explained that sometimes the form of her poems comes first, appearing as a shape in her mind upon waking. This initial shape then acts as a constraint, guiding the poem's construction. Other times, the language emerges first, often stemming from an experience, memory, or person. She then undertakes a process of trial and error to find the appropriate form, a stage that can take months or even years for some poems.

Addressing her intentional guidance of readers through her work, Long Soldier stated she views the reader as a guest. She likened stanzas to rooms in a home she has built, through which she guides them. She has also developed techniques to help readers feel comfortable navigating difficult subjects, such as by shifting narratives in her essay“Through the Pupil of Instinct.” This essay moves from first-hand accounts of the Wounded Knee Massacre to personal anecdotes about her child's school day and a drive through Minneapolis with poet Heid Erdrich, providing moments of respite for the reader.

Source: Hyperallergic

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