Analyzing Joy Harjo's Poem 'Remember'

You selected a few different poems to interpret this week then my self. You have a marvelous post summarizing each peculiar one. I likewise read Nostalgia by Billy Collins this week. My conception of the author is he practically ridicules the diverse periods of time as they were portrayed. I enjoyed this poem considering the composer certainly drives the point home with this topic. An abundance of humanity complains about past generations although trends were not the greatest it's persistent rebalance of pros and cons about all aspects of life. I couldn't agree more with you that the theme of the poem demonstrates that humanity wishes regression to the way life once

There are many forms to write a poem, and two distinct ways are as a sonnet or a villanelle. These two style of poetry have their own way in expressing the author’s message to the reader. In fact, sonnets, according to the text, are “defined as . . . lyric[s] (reference to moods and feelings) poem of fourteen lines. The sonnet will follow one or another of several set rhyme schemes. . . . [T]he sonnet came to life as a vehicle to convey love messages and passions.” By this definition, I can say that sonnets provides the poet with a tool, which they use to share a strong, emotionally based, statement.

In this poem, symbolism is used to help reader’s find deeper meaning in the little things included and show that everything comes back to the father’s fear of the child he adores growing older and more independent. “In a room full of books in a world of stories, he can recall not one, and soon he thinks the boy will give up on his father.” This sentence makes a reader assume that the story the five year old so

In "Remember", Joy Harjo uses figurative language, diction, and syntax to remind people of where they come from. For those who have forgotten their history, Harjo brings it back to the front of their mind. She wants to revive these lost and underappreciated memories and give them new meaning.

INTRO: Amanda-This is our illustration of Billie Jo drawn by Kaitlyn and Bryan. We drew her with Red hair, freckles, narrow hips, long legs, and a wide mouth. We drew her like this because in the text on page 3 it says “ Instead, he got a long-legged girl with a wide mouth and cheekbones like bicycle handles. He got a redheaded, heckle-faced, narrow-hipped girl”.

The woman being described in Maxine’s poem is confident in her own skin, where Maxine says, “The woman I am in my dreams, is taller than I am, she sees the world as she walks” this suggests that the woman always has her head up high and takes in the world as she walks. The woman wears red “spike heels” and “that woman walks only when she feels like not running, not jogging” would suggest the woman is physically capable of both running and walking. The verse “they don’t hide under long skirts; her legs and feet are well” would elude that the woman in the poem isn’t afraid to show off her legs which would support the idea that she is physically able.

“Remember the ladies”, (157) said Abigail Adams. Many don’t remember the ladies hard work and dedication put into America. Carol Berkin wrote Revolutionary Mothers: Women in the Struggle for America’s Independence to make an audience remember the ladies. The title in its own, Revolutionary Mothers, can be broken down meaning rebellious women of the era.

To some people, poetry may seem to not be applicable and not entertaining. Poetry is a way to express one’s feelings and ideas and to inspire its readers. To understand poetry, and to get a sense of what the poet is trying to convey, one must analyze the poem to see why and how it is compelling to the reader. In her poem “Eagle Poem” Joy Harjo appealingly writes about the spiritual connection to the circle of life and prayer. The poem “The Street” by Octavio Paz is about life and the choices one makes. In this poem, there is a deeper meaning presented through the theme of isolation, identity, and the choices one makes in life. The last poem I will be analyzing is “Remember” by Joy Harjo which accentuates the importance of nature and where

Poetic techniques displayed through the ideas, poetic features and style of the poet, reveal concepts which transcend time and place. In Gwen Harwood’s poem “the violets” her ability to interweave past and present emphasises the importance of memory in preserving ones journey though the universal experiences of growth, maturity and mortality. Similarly the poem “Mother who gave me life” demonstrates the memory of motherhood as a timeless quintessential part of the human condition. And lastly In Harwood’s “father and Child”, the connection between the father and son/daughter highlights that transformation throughout childhood is inevitable. Through the content and the language, the ways in which human experiences reveal concepts which

Once we have a better way of viewing that better connection to the world, so that we can benefit from it and to better understand one another. In the poem Remember by Joy Harjo, specifically talks about making connections with the world and how we are all a part of the world--how we are all connected to each other and can benefit from a better understanding of our surroundings and other people, the since of tranquility and the way of life.

As the poem progresses, the misplaced or forgotten items become concepts such as names and ideas, and therefore carry more of an impact. For example, forgetting someone’s name, however not uncommon, can be associated with feelings of embarrassment from the forgettor, and annoyance from the forgotten when they discover that they were not important enough to be remembered. The speaker simply shrugs off these losses because “None of [them] will bring disaster,” as mentioned in line 9. Emotion, often associated with memories is introduced in line 10 when the speaker announces, “I lost my mother’s watch.” An item such as a mother’s watch holds sentimental value, unlike the previously mentioned keys; however, the speaker repeats, “I miss them, but it wasn’t a disaster,” (line 15) indicating that the watch was merely a material possession crowded with memories. At this point, the reader recognizes the feeling of missing something associated with greater losses of objects and ideas the speaker regards with more emotional attachment.

In this poem, Joy Harjo uses repetition quite a bit to make sure the reader can make a connection. People try to and remember their life and connect to the text. In nearly every other stanza there is “Remember’’ and it repeats about family and where one is from. The repetition of this word text implies that in order to truly live, readers

Li-Young Lee is a poet who has written numerous amounts of work. He is a writer of Chinese heritage, but he does not classify himself as an Asian American poet. According to an article titled, “Li-Young Lee,” Li-Young Lee refuses to classify himself as an Asian American writer because he strives to be a “global poet.” This statement demonstrates that Li-Young Lee uses poetry as a means of addressing universal concerns. He writes about experiences or lessons that are personal to him; however, these are experiences and lessons that people all around the world can relate to. Li-Young Lee specifically writes about his childhood memories and family. A particular poem that reflects his personal life and poetic writing is, “The Gift.” In “The Gift,” the use of vivid imagery, free verse, and a distinct tone portrays Li-Young Lee’s poetic style.

In Ben Johnson’s “To the Memory of My Beloved, The Author, Mr. William Shakespeare, and What He Hath Left Us”, Johnson dictates a dramatically sycophantic poem in honor of the late William Shakespeare. With his superficial, dramatic style, Johnson unveils his own envious attitude within the unbegotten admiration he appoints throughout the poem. By complimenting Shakespeare through this ironic voice, Johnson insincerely praises Shakespeare’s legacy in a clever attempt to highlight Shakespeare’s minute but mentionable flaws. Throughout the commemorational poem, Johnson cleverly praises Shakespeare’s seemingly incomparable success as a poet by incorporating other famous poets as a belittling contrast. While meant as a friendly coup de grâce, Johnson’s assessment of Shakespeare is Johnson’s ultimate attempt to align himself with Shakespeare, bearing praise unto himself as well. In a poem meant to highlight and enunciate Shakespeare’s unparalleled skill and talent, Johnson instead attempts to expose his faults in hopes of bringing Shakespeare closer to himself.

A memory is told with different tiny details that it changes. In the last line she says “If he began with a/ smear of red instead of blue, it could have been a chapter/ instead of an era” (Leav). Similar to the quote above, she’s saying that if Picasso’s painting was changed to a different color then that painting wouldn’t be able to tell his story, only a small part of it. That is how memories are, we only tell the small parts of it and start to change it. It is cool how she compares memories to Picasso’s painting. This will help strengthen my ode if I describe as to what a painter thinks. Overall, I really like her poems and her style of writing to tell about life.