Cliff Taylor’s tree of poetry has sprouted a new branch.

“Notes of an Indigenous Futurist,” out now from Hema Press, is Taylor’s second collection of poems published in the past two years.

The book collects three genres: one-page memoirs, poems and what Taylor calls “acts of the Indigenous imagination.”

Elaborating on the concept, Taylor said, “Indigenous futurism is what happens when your soul starts talking to your creative imagination about the future your ancestors are making.

“Our Indigenous ancestors are as important to us as the earth beneath our feet, they’re as key and crucial for culture-making and our way of being as anything else in existence, so indigenous futurism is a collaboration with our ancestors to dream the best possible future into being, especially in light of everything that has happened in the last 500 years.”

By committing the dreams to the page, Taylor shows that both his and his people’s dreaming powers are alive and that all their art — poetry, writing, singing — is done in collaboration with their ancestors.

Dreaming the best possible future then extends into manifesting it.

“The prayerful purpose of this book is the restoration of all these Indigenous ideas to our people, so that the ideas can transform into reality and transform reality,” Taylor said. “It’s important to get these ideas out into the world because the world has done a great job at removing Indigenous ideas from Indigenous people. Everybody’s invited to be an active participant in crafting, creating, envisioning, and calling a better future into being, utilizing the gifts and abilities of our Indigenous soul to do so.”

The book emerged quite prosaically from the publisher’s invitation to Taylor and other Native writers to submit works for their experimental newsletter. Hema then asked Taylor to expand his submissions into a full-length book.

“I felt this big ‘yes’ to go for it and I let my heart, soul, poet’s voice, run completely wild,” Taylor said. “I do believe my ancestors were whispering into my ear, ‘go for it, grandson.’”

“Notes of an Indigenous Futurist” and Taylor’s other books, “The Memory of Souls” and “The Native Who Never Left,” are available at Godfather’s Books in Astoria, at other local vendors and online.

On Wednesday, he will be reading from his books at the Anita Building, at “Authors of Earth,” an evening of readings by Northwest writers.

As the first member of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska to publish a book and the son of a librarian, Taylor feels deeply connected to his tribe despite the distance. He travels to Nebraska frequently, most recently for a storytelling workshop during the tribe’s annual powwow.

“Where we find ourselves is always a mystery but I find myself serving my tribe as deeply as I ever have,” he said. “I’m walking forward into the mystery.”

Next year, Taylor’s writing tree will sprout the essay collection, The Shining Hands of My Ponca Ancestors,” and another book of poetry, “The Corn Mother Is My Storyteller.” He has additional ideas in the works in collaboration with his tribe.

“It’s been a lifelong dream to have Ponca-authored books on the bookshelves of America for all the young Poncas, all the young natives,” he said, “and really everyone out there who intuitively knows they could get some guidance and benefit from diving into Indigenous reality and consciousness.”

New book

New book

“Notes of an Indigenous Futurist” by Cliff Taylor

Hema Press — 146 pp — $18