These words, from the poem “Grace,” rattle in my brain from time to time. They offer comfort in some moments, and inspiration in others. On Tuesday, when Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced that Joy Harjo, the writer behind these emotions, will succeed Tracy K. Smith to become the 23rd Poet Laureate, the words rang out again; this time, they took the form of hope.
When she assumes the position in the fall, Harjo, a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, will become the first Native American in United States history to claim the prestigious title. The honor was not entirely a surprise; if anything, it was the most logical step for Harjo to take in her career, given that the list of awards bestowed upon her over the last 40 years would trail on for the remainder of this column if I listed them out.
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For those coming to her work just now, start with her 2004 collection, “How We Became Human,” which provides a sampling of her work from the preceding three decades — though I’d encourage those with the time and access to dive further back into her bibliography, hopefully opening with my longtime favorite, “I Give You Back.”
Source: Why America’s first Native American poet laureate gives me hope
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