While I know this blog has a worldwide audience, I wanted to alert the Americans that we just named the next Poet Laureate of the United States, Joy Harjo.
This week, let’s take her poem Remember as the prompt. Maybe make your own list of things to remember. Or things to forget. But don’t forget to post your poem in the comments below.
Remember
by Joy Harjo
Remember the sky that you were born under,
know each of the star’s stories.
Remember the moon, know who she is.
Remember the sun’s birth at dawn, that is the
strongest point of time. Remember sundown
and the giving away to night.
Remember your birth, how your mother struggled
to give you form and breath. You are evidence of
her life, and her mother’s, and hers.
Remember your father. He is your life, also.
Remember the earth whose skin you are:
red earth, black earth, yellow earth, white earth
brown earth, we are earth.
Remember the plants, trees, animal life who all have their
tribes, their families, their histories, too. Talk to them,
listen to them. They are alive poems.
Remember the wind. Remember her voice. She knows the
origin of this universe.
Remember you are all people and all people
are you.
Remember you are this universe and this
universe is you.
Remember all is in motion, is growing, is you.
Remember language comes from this.
Remember the dance language is, that life is.
Remember.
Copyright ©1983 by Joy Harjo from She Had Some Horses by Joy Harjo.
Living Poetry 
Here’s mine~: https://eastelmhurstagogo.wordpress.com/2019/06/24/reminiscing/
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Posted by larry trasciatti | June 24, 2019, 8:39 PMNice work. I like the “once~teenaged strangers” line.
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | June 24, 2019, 11:08 PMNicely done!
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Posted by Lisa Tomey | June 25, 2019, 6:13 AMThanks
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Posted by larry trasciatti | June 25, 2019, 6:22 AMThe womb, warm and safe
Remembering the membranes which would hold me under
Casting no doubts for the sanctity of home
Until a new memory took place
Woosh!
Slapped and crying, brought into the cool air
Darkness seeking, ever since, I believe
Remembering the pain to come forth
Safety at risk
Placed in a cold pan with just a little cloth
What’s that feel like to you?
That’s what I thought
Yet
I remember my mother saying I sure was ugly
Before my face rearranged
And she counted my fingers and toes
And now
I look in the mirror
And remember her
…..
Ironically, I only read the first couple of lines of the poem presented and came up with this. Isn’t that something?
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Posted by Lisa Tomey | June 24, 2019, 3:58 PMReally good~
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Posted by larry trasciatti | June 24, 2019, 8:38 PMThank You!
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Posted by Lisa Tomey | June 25, 2019, 6:14 AMThat’s quite an interesting choice of memory, exactly because no one can remember his own birth
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Posted by larry trasciatti | June 24, 2019, 8:40 PMThanks, but yet they can in a way.
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Posted by Lisa Tomey | June 25, 2019, 6:15 AMThe wonders of poetry!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | June 24, 2019, 11:06 PMThe license goes beyond driving.
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Posted by Lisa Tomey | June 25, 2019, 6:16 AM