Editor's Appreciation, November 2008
Yvette Wiley’s poem “Teardrop Trailer” combines Native American philosophy with the irony of property as the American dream. Details about the narrator’s personal belongings—from cars to coats—overshadow the relationship between narrator and companion, providing a strong contrast within the content of the poem. Wiley’s use of internal rhyme moves the poem forward at a quick pace, but the sarcastic tone of the narrator forces the reader to pause and think carefully about his or her values. Not only is this poem timely in the face of a global recession, but the technique of the poet allows an emotional flavor without disrupting the quality of the work.

by Yvette Wiley

Teardrop Trailer

Once this recession or depression
or concession of our American dream
becomes history,
I’m gonna buy me a Volvo, or a Subaru.
Electric powered; maybe a hybrid will do.
I’ll hitch up a teardrop trailer;
wood paneled sides; silver alum on top.
It’ll sleep two.
Load up the dogs; toss in a fly rod;
pack my 501s; a pair of Keens;
two tank tops; (spaghetti straps will do)
three tees, one long sleeved;
and a North Face Jacket. Black.
Multi genres of CDs or MP3s,
so I can sing while I drive
along beach roads, and desert roads,
that’ll take me places I’ve never seen;
drive along dirt roads, and mountain roads,
returning to places I’ve already been.
That’s what I’m gonna do.
Me, the dogs, and a democratic car, pulling
a teardrop trailer full of freedom to roam.
Look for me.
You might see this half-breed drifter by the camp fire glow;
shaking dust from my boots; slapping ash from my jeans,
as I beam with my big fat American dream.

Yvette Wiley lives in her hometown of Tulsa, OK where she shares an old stone house with a Great Dane, a Pitt Bull, and three spoiled cats. She has one daughter who is the prettiest, punk rock drummer in the city. Yvette obtained a B.S. in Biology and works for her tribe, the Muscogee Creek Nation, as an Environmental Specialist, primarily focused on stream ecology. She stays involved in environmental issues which affect Native American Tribes, taking her dogs to the dog park, and has begun reading her poetry with a local artist coalition.