Simon Ortiz is a poet, short-story writer, essayist, and editor. When asked to explain why he writes, Ortiz replies: "Because Indians always tell a story. The only way to continue is to tell a story." This statement informs Ortiz's works, the purpose of which is to paint a picture of what he calls "the real America." In an interview with Laura Coltelli he explained this phrase: "The real America is the Native America of indigenous people and the indigenous principle they represent." His poems and short stories, a collage of "postcards" from America, reveal a profound concern for the land and the native people. But Ortiz's message transcends ethnicity and is a universal plea for respect toward individuals and what the land offers them.

Simon Joseph Ortiz was born on 27 May 1941 at the Pueblo of Acoma, near Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Joe L. and Mamie Toribio Ortiz. After...