Native American Biography: Joy Harjo: Creek Poet

Joy Harjo, Creek,  Joy Harjo is noted for her poetry, screenplays, lectures and also as a jazz musician.  She received her M.F.A. from the University of Iowa.  She has held many teaching positions.  Her poetry has won many awards. 

Perhaps the World Ends Here - Poem by Joy Harjo

The world begins at a kitchen table. No matter what, we must eat to live.

The gifts of earth are brought and prepared, set on the table. So it has been since creation, and it will go on.

We chase chickens or dogs away from it. Babies teethe at the corners. They scrape their knees under it.

It is here that children are given instructions on what it means to be human. We make men at it, we make women.

At this table we gossip, recall enemies and the ghosts of lovers.

Our dreams drink coffee with us as they put their arms around our children. They laugh with us at our poor falling-down selves and as we put ourselves back together once again at the table.

This table has been a house in the rain, an umbrella in the sun.

Wars have begun and ended at this table. It is a place to hide in the shadow of terror. A place to celebrate the terrible victory.

We have given birth on this table, and have prepared our parents for burial here.

At this table we sing with joy, with sorrow. We pray of suffering and remorse. We give thanks.

Perhaps the world will end at the kitchen table, while we are laughing and crying, eating of the last sweet bite.

Joy Harjo

This poem says copyrighted so her is the link.  Eagle Poem  http://www.poetryoutloud.org/poem/175881

American Indian Biography: Emily Pauline Johnson

I have been reading a book, "America Indian Biographies" and am finding many new interesting people.  One of them is Emily Pauline Johnson.  She was born in 1861 on the Six nations reserve in Canada
 
She was bicultural, her mother being white and her father Mohawk.  She is the great-grand daughter of Jacob Johnson Tekahionwake who took the name of William Johnson when he was baptized.  His family had moved to Canada after the Revolutionary War as they had fought with the British and were forced to cede their properties.  Pauline Johnson spent her youth reading, as her mother encouraged her to do.  She also spent much of her time canoeing as well.  Her most beautiful and well known poem talks about this love, "The Song My Paddle Sings."  She toured throughout Canada and embraced her country.  She published several more books of poetry, "The White Wampum," "Canadian Born," "Mocassin Maker" and "Shagganappi."  Johnson was proud of her Native heritage for it was acceptable to be so.  She also has had great influence in Canada where her poems are still read and studied by school children.