Delve Readers Seminar: Joy Harjo: American Sunrise

…we still want justice. We are still America. We know the rumors of our demise. We spit them out. They die soon.
-Joy Harjo,“American Sunrise”

Our current poet laureate Joy Harjo describes her work as writing that both “tells the truth and creates the truth”, providing a “memory on which to build.” Harjo, a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is the author of nine books of poetry, one memoir, several plays, children’s books, and most recently, the editor of the first historically comprehensive Native poetry anthology. She is also an accomplished saxophonist and vocalist who has released four albums of original music. In this seminar, we will read her latest poetry collection American Sunrise and her 2012 memoir Crazy Brave. Participants need not be seasoned students of poetry (though they certainly can be!), just lovers of words willing to approach these works with curiosity. We will engage in close readings of Harjo’s poems, view a few of her performances, then read about her early life, noticing the ways in which ancestry, loss, the repetition of history (both personal and national), the reclaiming of culture and intergenerational healing weave through the different forms in unique ways. Joy Harjo will appear at Portland Arts & Lectures on Tuesday, April 20. Participants in this seminar will be given access to viewing the event.

Remember the dance that language is, that life is. Remember.
-Joy Harjo “Remember”

Texts:
Crazy Brave
American Sunrise

Delve Access Program
We want Delve seminars to be accessible to everyone, regardless of income and background. We understand that our tuition structure can present obstacles for some people. We are happy to offer an Access Program which provides reduced tuition to qualifying participants. Most Delves have at least one access spot available. Contact Susan Moore at susan@literary-arts.org if you would like to take a Delve at the Access Rate