Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Simon J. Ortiz’s "Poem for Jody About Leaving" is a brief yet emotionally charged meditation on departure, place, and the inevitability of leaving despite a deep connection to the land. Through a simple yet powerful structure, Ortiz conveys the tension between attachment and movement, between the desire to stay and the necessity of going. The poem speaks to the experience of Indigenous displacement—not necessarily forced removal, but the internal struggle of leaving places that feel like home.

The poem opens in a conversational tone: "I was telling you about the red cliff faces / of the Lukachukai Mountains—how it is / going away—" The phrase "I was telling you" suggests an ongoing dialogue, an attempt to share something meaningful with Jody. The red cliffs of the Lukachukai Mountains, located in the Navajo Nation, serve as a grounding image, evoking both a specific landscape and a broader sense of sacred geography. The phrase "how it is / going away—" is ambiguous, hinting at erosion, environmental change, or perhaps a more personal or cultural loss. The dash at the end suggests an unfinished thought, an uncertainty, as if the speaker himself is still processing what this loss means.

The poem then shifts to another landscape: "and near Tsegi, / the red and brown land that is like a strong and healthy woman / ready to give birth to many children," This simile likens the land to a fertile, life-giving woman, reinforcing the Indigenous understanding of land as not just a physical space but a nurturing force. Tsegi, likely referring to Tsegi Canyon in Arizona, is an area rich in Indigenous history, home to ancient cliff dwellings and long-standing Navajo and Hopi communities. The imagery here is deeply feminine, suggesting that the land itself is not static but generative, full of possibility and renewal.

The final lines bring the emotional weight of the poem into focus: "and you don’t ever want to go but do anyway." This line captures the central tension—one does not want to leave, yet somehow, leaving happens. The phrase "but do anyway" suggests resignation, an acceptance of movement even when it is painful. The lack of punctuation in this final line reinforces the inevitability of departure, as if the sentence itself flows forward without stopping.

Ortiz’s use of minimalism, his reliance on direct speech, and his ability to imbue landscapes with emotion make this poem a powerful meditation on belonging and loss. The poem does not explicitly state why leaving is necessary—whether due to personal choice, economic pressure, or something else—but the weight of departure is palpable. The land, described as enduring and full of life, remains, while the speaker and Jody must move on.

"Poem for Jody About Leaving" ultimately speaks to the broader Indigenous experience of being tied to land while also facing the reality of departure. It is a quiet but deeply felt acknowledgment that home is not just a place but a relationship—one that persists even when physical presence is no longer possible.

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