ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT RESCUE is the first collection by M.L. Smoker, whose work has been influenced by John Steinbeck, James Welch, and Philip Levine. Smoker composes free verse poems that focus on personal struggle and identity and engage Native American history, language, and culture. A member of the Sioux and Assiniboine tribes, poet M.L. Smoker earned a BA at Pepperdine University and an MFA at the University of Montana, where she received the Richard Hugo Memorial Scholarship.

As Smoker noted in a From the Fishouse audio recording, "[B]eing a poet allows me to interact and observe and be a witness to so many things that go on in the world around us, large things that go on in our community but also things that happen in our day-to-day lives, and I'm very honored to have the chance and the opportunity to slow down occasionally and pay attention to those things that can sometimes get lost in the greater scheme of things and in our lives."

Poetry. Native American Studies. Another Attempt at Rescue is the first collection by M.L. Smoker whose work has garnered praise from Sherman Alexie and Jim Harrison.

"M.L. Smoker's poems are tough, funny, magical, but not in a goofy way. This is blue-collar magic. Unemployment magic. Living on government cheese magic. I highly recommend this collection." — Sherman Alexie, Native American author

"... an impressive first book though, in truth, there is nothing here that reminds me of a first book. This is the work of an accomplished and mature poet with a rare and first-rate mind.There are some stunning and memorable poems here." — Jim Harrison, Author

"These poems are like a collective soul, each poem so elemental, so true. together they are somehow greater than the thing itself--not just mythical, but the voice of myth itself. ...Another Attempt at Rescue is a masterwork, a genious spark, the fire." — Debra Magpie Earling, Novelist