Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "I Give You Back," Joy Harjo embarks on a powerful journey of self-liberation, addressing her fear directly and releasing its grip on her life. The poem is a declaration of independence from the oppressive force of fear, which Harjo personifies as a once-intimate but now rejected part of herself. Through vivid imagery and emphatic repetition, she articulates a transformation from bondage to freedom.

The poem opens with a firm statement: "I release you, my beautiful and terrible fear. I release you." By addressing fear as both "beautiful" and "terrible," Harjo acknowledges the complex, dual nature of fear—its ability to protect but also to paralyze. The repetition of "I release you" reinforces her determination to break free from its hold.

Harjo describes fear as a "beloved and hated twin," indicating the closeness and the deep-rooted relationship she once had with it. The line, "I release you with all the pain I would know at the death of my daughters," highlights the intensity of the emotional detachment she is undertaking. This comparison underscores the profound significance of this release, equating it with a momentous, life-altering event.

The poem takes a historical and cultural turn as Harjo links her personal fear to collective trauma: "I give you back to the white soldiers who burned down my home, beheaded my children, raped and sodomized my brothers and sisters." This broader context situates her personal struggle within the larger narrative of indigenous suffering and survival. By doing so, she connects her own liberation with the historical and generational pain experienced by her community.

Harjo continues to detail the myriad ways fear has manifested in her life: "You hold these scenes in front of me and I was born with eyes that can never close." This vivid image suggests a haunting, relentless presence that has shaped her perception and experience. Yet, she declares, "I release you, fear, because you can no longer keep me naked and frozen in the winter, or smothered under blankets in the summer." These lines depict fear as an oppressive force dictating her physical and emotional state, from seasonal discomfort to deeper existential paralysis.

The mantra-like repetition of "I release you" crescendos to an affirmation of self-empowerment: "I am not afraid to be angry. I am not afraid to rejoice. I am not afraid to be black. I am not afraid to be white." By listing various states of being and emotions, Harjo asserts her freedom to exist fully and authentically, unencumbered by fear.

In a striking confession, she acknowledges the role she played in her own subjugation: "Oh, you have choked me, but I gave you the leash. You have gutted me but I gave you the knife. You have devoured me, but I laid myself across the fire." These lines illustrate a painful but empowering realization—that she has the agency to reclaim her life because she was complicit in her own suffering by allowing fear to control her.

The poem culminates in a powerful reclaiming of self: "I take myself back, fear. You are not my shadow any longer." Harjo's declaration signifies a final severance from fear, no longer allowing it to define or limit her. The repetition of "my heart" emphasizes the centrality of her heart, the seat of her emotional and spiritual life, in this reclaiming process.

In the closing lines, Harjo turns the tables on fear: "But come here, fear. I am alive and you are so afraid of dying." This ending encapsulates the transformation—Harjo has moved from being controlled by fear to recognizing fear's own vulnerability. Her assertion of life and vitality in the face of fear's mortality is a triumphant affirmation of her newfound freedom.

"I Give You Back" is a powerful testament to the journey of overcoming fear. Through deeply personal and communal reflections, Joy Harjo crafts a narrative of liberation, resilience, and the reclaiming of one's voice and agency. The poem resonates with strength and courage, offering a beacon of hope for anyone struggling to release their own fears.

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