Remember

The definition of remember is “to recall from one's memory; to have an image in one's memory.” Memory has played a big role over the last 18 months, as we’ve reflected on life before Covid, or worked to preserve the memories of friends and family we lost. In this poem, Native American poet Joy Harjo invites us to recall the images and truths that are universal—before and after Covid, and into whatever is next.

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Remember

by Joy Harjo

Remember the sky that you were born under,

know each of the star's stories.

Remember the moon, know who she is.

Remember the sun's birth at dawn, that is the

strongest point of time.  Remember sundown

and the giving away to night.

Remember your birth, how your mother struggled

to give you form and breath.  You are evidence of

her life, and her mother's, and hers.

Remember your father.  He is your life, also.

Remember the earth whose skin you are:

red earth, black earth, yellow earth, white earth

brown earth, we are earth.

Remember the plants, trees, animal life who all have their 

tribes, their families, their histories, too.  Talk to them,

listen to them.  They are alive poems.

Remember the wind.  Remember her voice.  She knows the

origin of this universe.

Remember you are all people and all people

are you.

Remember you are this universe and this

universe is you.

Remember all is in motion, is growing, is you.

Remember language comes from this.

Remember the dance language is, that life is.

Remember.

-posted with the poet’s permission