The Will to Write: Select Published and Unpublished Works of Reg. B. Cornejo

After I finished writing this book, I found myself noting or recognizing the stories, essays, and poems found in this book tell the story of my life. The book in short provides a look into my philosophy of life and the wisdom I use (and have used) to survive and live in a white man's world, without going crazy or giving up. As the public reads my short essays, stories, and poems, I hope the message found in my written works will help them see and feel why I stay connected to my people and their wisdom, a wisdom that has taught me to always stay connected to mother earth and my people's "Red Road." I want to note the stories, essays, and poems found in my book come from both published works and works I never sent in to get published. I hope the wide range of topics found in this collection will not only touch my readers but they will also challenge them to see life under a new light, a "modern-day Red-Man's light." Since this book is a collection of many published and unpublished works, I felt it was best to not separate this book into chapters. I made this choice because I feel each essay, story, prose, and poem is powerful enough to stand on its own. As my readers work their way through my book, I hope they will take the time to stop and think about the message found in each written work and hopefully, in some cases, find themselves reconnecting with the land that is America and my people's wisdom that says, "We are one with mother earth," and "we are all born to die because life is a circle like the Native American Medicine Wheel."