It is a serious thing, nothing.
The notion confounds the mind
As wind confounds the sea.
A woman fixes words to a miracle,
A man describes himself to God.
The syllables amount to something,
But they are nothing to speak of.
-- 'To Speak of Nothing' by N. Scott Momaday
Pulitzer Prize-winning writer N. Scott Momaday has died at 89. The Kiowa novelist, essayist and poet was the first Native American to win the fiction Pulitzer with his 1968 book "House Made of Dawn" and his work inspired a generation of authors including Leslie Marmon Silko, James Welch and Louise Erdrich. “He was a kind of literary father for a lot of us,” poet laureate Joy Harjo told The Associated Press. “He showed how potent and powerful language and words were in shaping our very existence.”
Here's a December PBS American Masters interview with Scott Momaday, where he discusses his Pulitzer prize, approach to writing, legacy and hopes. "I think man, mankind, has a tremendous capacity for adjustment and survival. It’s been true in the case of the Native American certainly. One could not see how he could survive 100 years ago. But, look, he’s there. And I think he will be there in the future. In what appearance, what guise, what costume, I don’t know. But I think he’ll be there. It’s the spirit that counts and the spirit is indomitable."