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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

CALL IT FEAR, by             Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography

In "Call It Fear," Joy Harjo delves into the visceral experience of fear and its profound effects on the human psyche. Through rich imagery and a narrative that blurs the lines between the physical and the metaphysical, Harjo explores the edges of human emotion, memory, and survival.

The poem begins with a haunting introduction to this edge: "There is this edge where shadows and bones of some of us walk backwards. Talk backwards. There is this edge." The repetition of "this edge" emphasizes a boundary or threshold, a liminal space where normalcy disintegrates and fear prevails. The idea of walking and talking backwards suggests a disorientation and reversal of the natural order, highlighting the disconcerting nature of fear.

Harjo personifies fear as an ocean: "Call it an ocean of fear of the dark. Or name it with other songs." This metaphor conveys the vast, engulfing, and often undefined nature of fear, suggesting it is something deep and potentially overwhelming. The reference to "other songs" implies that fear, like any profound experience, can be expressed and understood in multiple ways, through different cultural lenses and personal interpretations.

The poem continues with powerful anatomical imagery: "Under our ribs our hearts are bloody stars. Shine on shine on, and horses in their galloping flight strike the curve of ribs. Heartbeat and breathe back sharply. Breathe backwards." Harjo connects the physical sensations of fear—racing heart, labored breathing—with cosmic and dynamic imagery, blending the biological with the celestial. The "bloody stars" under the ribs symbolize the intense, often painful brightness of life and emotion within us.

Harjo shifts to a personal anecdote, grounding the abstract in a specific memory: "There is this edge within me / I saw it once an August Sunday morning / when the heat hadn't left this earth. And Goodluck sat sleeping next to me in the truck." This memory places the reader in a moment of reflective stillness, punctuated by the presence of a companion, Goodluck, and the oppressive heat of the morning. This sets the stage for an encounter with the edge of fear.

She recalls the attempt to break through the edge of fear through connection: "We had never broken through the edge of the singing at four a.m.... We had only wanted to talk, to hear any other voice to stay alive with—" This line captures the human need for connection and communication as a means to counteract fear and isolation. The "edge of the singing" at an early hour symbolizes a threshold of vulnerability and longing for companionship in the face of fear.

Harjo contrasts this internal edge with a physical one: "And there was this edge not the drop of sandy rock cliff bones of volcanic earth into / Albuquerque. Not that, but a string of shado horses kicking / and pulling me out of my belly," The imagery here is vivid and surreal, with "shado horses" representing powerful, uncontrollable forces pulling at the core of her being. This is not the tangible edge of a cliff but an internal, emotional precipice.

The poem concludes with a connection to music and memory: "not into the Rio Grande but into the music barely coming through / Sunday church singing from the radio. Battery worn-down but the voices talking backwards." This ending ties the theme of fear to the disorientation of distorted voices and failing technology, evoking a sense of disconnection and yearning for clarity and peace. The church singing, a symbol of hope and community, becomes a distorted and eerie presence, reflecting the pervasive nature of fear even in moments of solace.

"Call It Fear" by Joy Harjo is a deeply evocative exploration of the nature of fear and its impact on the human experience. Through a blend of personal narrative, rich metaphor, and surreal imagery, Harjo captures the profound and often disorienting edges of emotion, inviting readers to reflect on their own encounters with fear and the ways in which they seek connection and understanding in its midst.


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