ReThinking Joy Harjo on Poetry and Pursuit of the Common Good (from No Small Endeavor)
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Nov 3, 2025 
Joy Harjo, a three-term U.S. Poet Laureate and member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, discusses the vital role of poetry in navigating crises. She shares how writing emerged during Native rights movements as a form of healing and activism. Joy emphasizes the importance of storytelling in connecting to Native identity and explores themes like colonial extraction and everyday courage. She reflects on personal experiences with trauma, spirituality, and acts of kindness, ultimately demonstrating how art can foster resilience and justice.
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Poetry As Ceremonial Language
- Joy Harjo defines poetry as a ceremonial language that taps the heart and deepens perception and connection.
- Poetry shifts everyday language into a form that summons attention and communal resonance.
Writing Born From Activism
- Joy Harjo began writing out of involvement in Native rights movements rather than a plan to become a poet.
- Hearing community voices at land-defense hearings sparked her need to write for healing and justice.
Representation Changed Her Poetic View
- Hearing Native poets like Simon Ortiz revealed poetry that reflected contemporary Native speech and lives.
- That exposure opened Joy Harjo to language rooted in history and place, transforming her sense of poetry's possibility.
