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When the Light of the World Was Subdued, Our Songs Came Through

Page 36

by Joy Harjo


  Steve Pacheco, “History” from Shedding Skins: Four Sioux Poets. Copyright © 2008 by Steve Pacheco. Reprinted with the permission of Michigan State University Press.

  Elise Paschen, “Wi’-Gi-E” from Bestiary. Copyright © 2009 by Elise Paschen. “High Ground” from The Night Life. Copyright © 2017 by Elise Paschen. Reprinted with the permission of The Permissions Company, LLC, on behalf of Red Hen Press, redhen.org.

  Christy Passion, “Hear the Dogs Crying” from No Choice but to Follow: Linked Poems by Jean Yamasaki Toyama, Juliet S. Kono, Ann Inoshita, and Christy Passion (Honolulu: Bamboo Ridge Press, 2010). Copyright © 2010 by Christy Passion. Reprinted with the permission of the author.

  Craig Santos Perez, “ginen the micronesian kingfisher (i sihek)” from ‘guma (Richmond, California: Omnidawn, 2014). Copyright © 2014 by Craig Santos Perez. Reprinted with the permission of the author.

  Mahealani Perez-Wendt, “Uluhaimalama” from Uluhaimalama (Honolulu: Kuleana Ōiwi Press, 2008). Copyright © 2008 by Mahealani Perez-Wendt. Reprinted with the permission of the author.

  Leialoha Perkins, “Plantation Non-Song” from Ho’omanoa, Anthology of Contemporary Hawaiian Literature, edited by Joseph Balaz (Honolulu: Ku Pa’a Press, 1989). Reprinted with the permission of M. ‘Umi Perkins.

  Tommy Pico, excerpt from “Poison Oak” from Nature Poem. Copyright © 2017 by Tommy Pico. Reprinted with the permission of Tin House Books.

  Stacy Pratt, “A Creek Woman Beside Lake Ontario” [previously unpublished]. Reprinted with the permission of the author.

  Henry Real Bird, “Thought” from Horse Tracks. Copyright © 2010 by Henry Real Bird. Reprinted by permission of Lost Horse Press, Sandpoint, Idaho.

  Lois Red Elk, “Our Blood Remembers” from Our Blood Remembers (Kalispell, Montana: Many Voices Press, 2011). Copyright © 2011 by Lois Red Elk. Reprinted with the permission of the author.

  Marcie Rendon, “what’s an indian woman to do? . . .” from Dreaming into Being (Smashwords, 2013). Reprinted with the permission of the author.

  No‘u Revilla, “Smoke screen” from Black Renaissance Noire 16, no. 1 (2016): 13. Copyright © 2016 by No‘u Revilla. Reprinted with the permission of the author.

  Cathy Tagnak Rexford, “The Ecology of Subsistence” from Effigies (Cambridge, England: Salt Publishers, 2009). Copyright © 2009 by Cathy Tagnak Rexford. Reprinted by permission.

  Kim Shuck, “Water as a Sense of Place” from Smuggling Cherokee (Greenfield Center, New York: Greenfield Review Press, 2006). Copyright © 2006 by Kim Shuck. Reprinted with the permission of the author.

  Cedar Sigo, “A Small Secluded Valley” and “After Self Help” from Language Arts. Copyright © 2014 by Cedar Sigo. Reprinted with the permission of The Permissions Company, LLC, on behalf of Wave Books, wavepoetry.com.

  Leslie Marmon Silko, “Where Mountain Lion Lay Down with Deer” and “Long Time Ago” from Ceremony. Copyright © 1981, 2012 by Leslie Marmon Silko. Used by permission of Viking Books, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved.

  Jake Skeets, “Drunktown” from Eyes Bottle Dark with a Mouthful of Flowers. Copyright © 2019 by Jake Skeets. Reprinted with the permission of The Permissions Company, LLC, on behalf of Milkweed Editions, milkweed.org.

  M. L. Smoker, “Crosscurrent” and “Casualties” from Another Attempt at Rescue. Copyright © 2005 by M. L. Smoker. Reprinted with the permission of Hanging Loose Press.

  James Thomas Stevens, “Tonawanda Swamps” from a bridge dead in the water. Copyright © 2007 by James Thomas Stevens. Reprinted with the permission of Salt Publishing Ltd. via PLSClear. “St. James Lake” from Bulle/Chimere (First Intensity Press, 2006). Copyright © 2006 by James Thomas Stevens. Reprinted with the permission of the author.

  Denise Sweet, “Song for Discharming” and “Mapping the Land” from Palominos Near Tuba City: New and Selected Poems. Copyright © 2018 by Denise Sweet. Reprinted with the permission of The Permissions Company, LLC, on behalf of Holy Cow! Press, holycowpress.org.

  Lehua M. Taitano, “Letters from an Island” from Inside Me an Island. Copyright © 2018 by Lehua Taitano. Reprinted with the permission of WordTech Editions.

  Mary TallMountain, “Good Grease” and “There Is No Word for Goodbye” from The Light on the Tent Wall. Copyright © 1990 by Mary TallMountain. Reprinted with the permission of M. Catherine Costello, Literary Executor for Mary TallMountain.

  Margo Tamez, “My Mother Returns to Calaboz” from Naked Wanting. Copyright © 2003 by Margo Tamez. Reprinted by permission of The University of Arizona Press.

  Luci Tapahonso, “Blue Horses Rush In” and “This Is How They Were Placed for Us” from Blue Horses Rush In. Copyright © 1997 by Luci Tapahonso. “Hills Brothers Coffee” from Sáanii Dahataa: The Women Are Singing. Copyright © 1993 by Luci Tapahonso. All reprinted by permission of The University of Arizona Press.

  Earle Thompson, “Mythology” from Anthology of 20th Century Native American Poetry (New York: Harper, 1988). Reprinted with the permission of the Estate of Earle Thompson.

  Laura Tohe, “When the Moon Died” and “No Parole Today” from No Parole Today. Copyright © 1999 by Laura Tohe. Reprinted with the permission of The Permissions Company, LLC, on behalf of West End Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico, westendpress.org.

  Haunani-Kay Trask, “An Agony of Place” from Ho‘omanoa: An Anthology of Contemporary Hawaiian Literature (Honolulu: Ku Pa‘a, 1989). Reprinted with the permission of the author. “Night Is a Sharkskin Drum” and “Ko‘olauloa” from Light in the Crevice Never Seen. Copyright © 1994 by Haunani-Kay Trask. Reprinted with the permission of CALYX Books.

  Gail Tremblay, “Indian Singing in 20th Century America” from Indian Singing in 20th Century America. Copyright © 1990 by Gail Tremblay. Reprinted with the permission of the author and CALYX Books.

  John Trudell, “Diablo Canyon” from Lines from a Mined Mind. Copyright © 2008 by John Trudell. Reprinted with the permission of Fulcrum Publishing.

  Mark Turcotte, “Burn” and “Battlefield” from Exploding Chippewas. Copyright © 2002 by Mark Turcotte. Published 2002 by TriQuarterly Books/Northwestern University Press. All rights reserved.

  Georgiana Valoyce-Sanchez, “The Dolphin Walking Stick” from The Sound of Rattles and Clappers: A Collection of New California Indian Writing, edited by Greg Sarris (The University of Arizona Press, 1994). Copyright © 1994 by Georgiana Valoyce-Sanchez. Reprinted with the permission of the author.

  Gerald Vizenor, “Seven Woodland Crows” and “Family Photograph.” Reprinted with the permission of the author. “Fat Green Flies” from Favor of Crows: New and Selected Haiku. Copyright © 2014 by Gerald Vizenor. Reprinted by permission of Wesleyan University Press.

  Vince Wannassay, “Forgotten Coyote Stories” from Dancing on the Rim of the World (Tucson: The University of Arizona Press, 1990). Copyright © 1990 by Vince Wannassay. Reprinted with the permission of the Estate of Vince Wannassay.

  Michael Wasson, “A Poem for the háawtnin’ & héwlekipx [The Holy Ghost of You, the Space & Thin Air]” from Poetry (June 2018). Copyright © 2018 by Michael Wasson. Reprinted with the permission of the author.

  James Welch, “Harlem, Montana: Just Off the Reservation,” “The Man from Washington,” and “Riding the Earthboy 40” from Riding the Earthboy 40. Copyright © 1971, 1976, 1990 by James Welch. Used by permission of Penguin Books, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved.

  Kimberly Wensaut, “Prodigal Daughter” from Yellow Medicine Review (Winter 2007). Copyright © 2007 by Kimberly Wensaut. Reprinted with the permission of the author.

  Gwen Nell Westerman, “Wicaŋĥpi Heciya Taŋhaŋ Uŋhipi (We Come from the Stars)” from Follow the Blackbirds. Copyright © 2013 by Gwen Nell Westerman. Reprinted with the permission of Michigan State University Press.

  Wayne Kaumualii Westlake, “Hawaiians Eat Fish” from Westlake: Poems by Wayne Kaumualii Westlake (Unive
rsity of Hawaii Press, 2009). Reprinted with the permission of the Estate of Wayne Kaumualii Westlake.

  Orlando White, “To See Letters” from Bone Light. Copyright © 2009 by Orlando White. Reprinted with the permission of The Permissions Company, LLC, on behalf of Red Hen Press, redhen.org. “Empty Set” from LETTERRS. Copyright © 2015 by Orlando White. Reprinted with the permission of The Permissions Company, LLC, on behalf of Nightboat Books, nightboat.org.

  Tanaya Winder, “learning to say i love you” and “the milky way escapes my mouth” from Words Like Love (West End Press, 2015). Copyright © 2015 by Tanaya Winder. Reprinted with the permission of the author.

  Karenne Wood, “Chief Totopotamoi, 1654” and “Hard Times” from Markings on Earth. Copyright © 2001 by Karenne Wood. Reprinted by permission of The University of Arizona Press.

  Elizabeth Woody, “Weaving” and “Translation of Blood Quantum” from Luminaries of the Humble. Copyright © 1994 by Elizabeth A. Woody. Reprinted by permission of The University of Arizona Press.

  Don Jesús Yoilo’i, “Yaqui Deer Song” from Yaqui Deer Songs, Maso Bwikam, edited by Larry Evers and Felipe S. Molina. Reprinted with the permission of The University of Arizona Press, Larry Evers, and Felipe S. Molina.

  Ray Young Bear, “John Whirlwind’s Doublebeat Songs, 1956” from The New Yorker (2017). Copyright © 2017 by Ray A. Young Bear. “Our Bird Aegis” and “One Chip of Human Bone” from Manifestation Wolverine: The Collected Poetry of Ray Young Bear. Copyright © 1996 by Ray A. Young Bear. All reprinted with the permission of the author.

  Ofelia Zepeda, “Bury Me with a Band” and “Ocean Power” from Ocean Power, Poems from the Desert. Copyright © 1995 by Ofelia Zepeda. Reprinted by permission of The University of Arizona Press.

  INDEX

  Page numbers listed correspond to the print edition of this book. You can use your device’s search function to locate particular terms in the text.

  A couple miles down this iron-locked road 416

  Across the meadow flecks 139

  Advice to Myself 134

  After Self-Help 247

  Agony of Place, An 213

  Ah! When thought reverts to my country so dear, 23

  Alexie, Sherman 231

  Allen, Paula Gunn 280

  All is experienced 156

  All my rooms are alien 247

  A LONG TIME AGO 197

  A mark across the body. The morning I watched my beloved uncle 71

  among trees 31

  An atlas 413

  Anatomy of a Wave 256

  Angle of Geese 108

  An immature black eagle walks assuredly 53

  Anniversary Poem for Cheyennes Who Died at Sand Creek 120

  Anonymous Carlisle Student 29

  Another season centers on this place. 109

  Anumpa Bok Lukfi Hilha 391

  Apache, Crisosto 328

  Apprenticed to Justice 68

  A recording of her voice, an old woman’s voice 236

  Aronhiótas 86

  Aroniawenrate 33

  Art of Clay, The 200

  A shadow of smoke passed 308

  As it would for a prow, the basin parts with your foot. 86

  Assignment 44 324

  As the ‘ape shoot, whose delicate shoots 242

  As the old woman touches me it is like air holding smoke. I am something 77

  Asthmatic and wheezing I tromped 381

  At Dawn, Sitting at My Father’s House 107

  At half past two in the afternoon 30

  A thin wet sky, that yellows at the rim, 25

  Atsitty, Tacey M. 344

  At the Door of the Native Studies Director 228

  At the time that turned the heat of the earth, 182

  A woman sits on a porch of weathered boards, 82

  A woman was sitting 63

  Ax Tl’aa 226

  Back when I used to be Indian 136, 137

  Balaz, Joe 224

  Bamewawage Zhikaquay 20

  Battlefield 137

  Battle Won Is Lost 203

  bearhart, b: william 95

  Because she died where the ravine falls into water. 138

  Before her birth, she moved and pushed inside her mother. 309

  Before this, I would not do or say what impulse 60

  Belin, Esther G. 323

  Bending, I bow my head 386

  Benedict, Salli M. Kawennotakie 63

  Benson, Diane L’xeis´ 226

  Big Fun 79

  Bigjim, Fred 201

  Bind Tie Bind Tie Bind Tie Small Bind-ed 324

  Bird, Gloria 220

  Bitsui, Sherwin 331

  Blaeser, Kimberly M. 66

  Blanca Peak is adorned with white shell. 312

  Blassi, Lincoln 184

  Blessed 388

  Blessings 388

  Blizzard, South Dakota 164

  Blonde 165

  Blue Cloud, Peter (Aroniawenrate) 33

  Blue Horses Rush In 309

  Bonnin, Gertrude Simmons

  (Zitkála-Šá) 104

  Brings Plenty, Trevino L. 163

  Brolaski, Julian Talamantez 339

  Bronson, Ruth Margaret Muskrat 377

  Broyles, Marianne Aweagon 407

  Build a wall of saguaros, 303

  Burn 136

  Burns, Diane 77

  Bury Me with a Band 305

  Bush-Banks, Olivia Ward 28

  But I flip on my back, ears below the surface, listen 85

  But no one can 234

  Cahoon, Heather 164

  Canoe Launching into the Gaslit Sea 252

  Captivity 71

  Caravan 333

  Cardiff, Gladys 385

  Carlisle Student, Anonymous 29

  Carnival, The 411

  Carter, Stella LeFlore 375

  Casualties 161

  Center Moon’s Little Brother 200

  Ceremony for Completing a Poetry Reading 45

  Chabitnoy, Abigail 255

  Chaleco, Arsenius 270

  Charlene 224

  Charlene 224

  Charlo, Victor 112

  Chibinesi 40

  Chickens dismantle, like pit crews can 344

  Chief Leschi of the Nisqually 199

  Chief Totopotamoi, 1654 81

  Chrystos 44

  Cities of snow melt, blurred in liquid between wiper blades. We are waiting 76

  Clouds, Trees & Ocean, North Kauai 207

  Colleen, 289

  Colleps, Donovan Kūhiō 249

  Combing 386

  come mierda para el desayuno 344

  cooking class 128

  Cook-Lynn, Elizabeth 106

  cosmo mag came out with a list 126

  Cousin, how useless now 92

  Creation stories 330

  Creek Woman Beside Lake Ontario, A 408

  Crosscurrent 160

  Da’, Laura 93

  Dance, The 110

  Dancing, 110

  Dark night at last has taken its flight, 364

  Dauenhauer, Nora Marks 191

  Delight Song of Tsoai-Talee, The 111

  Diablo Canyon 123

  Diaz, Natalie 346

  Dilate 155

  Dissolve 333

  Dolphin Walking Stick, The 276

  Don’t fret now. 283

  Doors of the Sea, The 223

  Dream, The 109

  Dream of Rebirth 46

  Dreams of Water Bodies 67

  Drunktown 352

  Duncan, J. C. 368

  Dust swims in sunlight of an open door as dreams evaporate in the face 76

  Early training holds fast. 406

  Earthboy: so simple his name 116

  Earthquake Weather 301

  Ecology of Subsistence, The 248

  Edmo, Ed 202

  Eel 83

  ‘ekahi 240

  Eleazar 19

  Eleazar’s Elegy for Thomas Thacher 19

  Emerged from the everlasting clay at the bottom
324

  Empty Set 336

  Endrezze, Anita 302

  Erdrich, Heid E. 140

  Erdrich, Louise 131

  Evening Song 93 361

  Even your name 191

  Everything I write requires this: Alphabet. 335

  Everything You Need to Know in Life You’ll Learn in Boarding School 51

  Excerpts from a Speech by Chief Seattle, 1854 183

  Fallen Leaves 383

  Family Photograph 31

  Family Tree or Comanches and Cars Don’t Mix 157

  Farewell to dear class, to friends and to strangers, 374

  Fate of Inupiaq-like Kingfisher, The 234

  fat green flies 33

  Fat Green Flies 33

  Fifth Saint, Sixth & Seventh 254

  First Woman 324

  flock of Seagals 343

  Flood Song 332

  Foerster, Jennifer Elise 412

  Forgotten Coyote Stories 197

  Frazier, Santee 409

  Frog Creek Circle 112

  From Sand Creek 283

  Fuller, Elsie 103

  Gabriel, sing great-grandpa’s song, 254

  Gansworth, Eric 83

  Geget indabooniisaandaagoog Binesiwag akwaa-ayaayaan 18

  Gegwejiwebinan 18

  George, Phillip William 203

  get this old man 204

  “Get up, I said. It’s raining. It’s raining and you, lying there. Get up, old man, 76

  Ghost River 163

  ginen the micronesian kingfisher [i sihek] 251

  Giveaway, The 110

  Give me something from 189

  Good Grease 187

  Good-smelling are these flowers. 53

  Gould, Janice 301

  Gourd Dancer, The 109

  Gramma says it’s so depressing—280

  Gravitt, Winnie Lewis 376

  Grief’s Anguish 227

  Grover, Linda LeGarde 51

  Guy, James Harris 366

  Had this body been made 260

  Häh-Shäh-Rêhs 24

  Hall, Dana Naone 210

  Hard Times 82

  Harjo, Joy 400

  Harjo, Suzan Shown 120

 

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