These thirteen essays reflect Dunsmore's broad experience as a poet, student of native literature, and teacher. They take their inspiration from Chief Joseph's statement that "The earth and myself are of one mind," and go on to consider Black Elk; the work of D'Arcy McNickle, Simon Ortiz, and Laurens van der Post; Salish stories; and Pueblo sacred clowns.

The idea that mind is something larger and more pervasive in nature than the Western tradition has usually considered suggests respect as central to survival and conveys the essential wildness of mind.