The Joy of poetry
Joy Harjo is known for her performance art, poetry and activism. This American writer has authored ten books of poetry and produced seven award-winning albums.
Growing up, it was the women around her, surrounding her with art and music, that stirred her creativity from an early age.
Harjo is a member of the Muscogee Creek Nation. She was the first Native American to serve as US Poet Laureate, and only the second ever poet to serve three terms, from 2019-2022.
In an interview with Vogue Magazine, Joy Harjo talks about her influences and inspirations, and how she used her platform as US Poet Laureate to create a lasting project that highlights the work of other Indigenous poets.
Read Joy Harjo on When She Realized Poetry Has Power on Vogue.
Writing
In the above article, Harjo says: “We all have gifts that are almost folded up, and they’re placed in between the heart and where your spirit lives, and then they unfold at different times.”
Spend a few minutes thinking about a loosely wrapped idea that you’ve been swaddling. What word or image can you make out when you peek in from an open corner?
Start with just one word on the page, continue from there and see what gift unwraps for you.
We’d love to see what you come up with, if you’d like to share.