Because I didn't post one yesterday, and this is my last night in RI
Song For the Deer and Myself to Return On
by Joy Harjo
This morning when I looked out the roof window
before dawn and a few stars were still caught
in the fragile weft of ebony night
I was overwhelmed. I sang the song Louis taught me:
a song to call the deer in Creek, when hunting,
and I am certainly hunting something as magical as deer
in this city far from the hammock of my mother's belly.
It works, of course, and deer came into this room
and wondered at finding themselves
in a house near downtown Denver.
Now the deer and I are trying to figure out a song
to get them back, to get all of us back,
because if it works I'm going with them.
And it's too early to call Louis
and nearly too late to go home.
for Louis Oliver
You guys should go out and buy this book of Joy Harjo. It's called How We Became Human, and it contains new poems, selections of her poetry, and a beautiful essay she wrote as an introduction. I wish I could beam you all a copy, because reading these poems with a physical book, with clean, earth white paper and strong, solid, dancing black text that is enfused with images and emotions is almost a magical expierence; electronic text leeches away part of that experience. Fortunately, the her voice remains strong.
by Joy Harjo
This morning when I looked out the roof window
before dawn and a few stars were still caught
in the fragile weft of ebony night
I was overwhelmed. I sang the song Louis taught me:
a song to call the deer in Creek, when hunting,
and I am certainly hunting something as magical as deer
in this city far from the hammock of my mother's belly.
It works, of course, and deer came into this room
and wondered at finding themselves
in a house near downtown Denver.
Now the deer and I are trying to figure out a song
to get them back, to get all of us back,
because if it works I'm going with them.
And it's too early to call Louis
and nearly too late to go home.
for Louis Oliver
You guys should go out and buy this book of Joy Harjo. It's called How We Became Human, and it contains new poems, selections of her poetry, and a beautiful essay she wrote as an introduction. I wish I could beam you all a copy, because reading these poems with a physical book, with clean, earth white paper and strong, solid, dancing black text that is enfused with images and emotions is almost a magical expierence; electronic text leeches away part of that experience. Fortunately, the her voice remains strong.