Joy Harjo

Oh, it was, I had really kind of, I had lost any regard for myself because of what I had gone through at that point. I just felt almost worthless. I think part of it was I watched what happened with my father, Muskogee Creek Man, in the world. You know, being native in Oklahoma and the whole deep history there. There was a heartache there, I think, a deep heartache.

And then there was the stepfather coming into our lives who, I've tried to understand him, but he really had no regard for our lives. His interest, of course, was my mother. And it seems like repressing her, repressing her, and in turn repressing us. And people don't do well under being oppressed, whether it's by a country or by a person.

And then there was the stepfather coming into our lives who, I've tried to understand him, but he really had no regard for our lives. His interest, of course, was my mother. And it seems like repressing her, repressing her, and in turn repressing us. And people don't do well under being oppressed, whether it's by a country or by a person.

And then there was the stepfather coming into our lives who, I've tried to understand him, but he really had no regard for our lives. His interest, of course, was my mother. And it seems like repressing her, repressing her, and in turn repressing us. And people don't do well under being oppressed, whether it's by a country or by a person.

But when I wound up at that school with Native students from all over, and we were all artists and doing art, I was in my realm. I was in my realm of creativity and people who, you know, I could talk in class there. I could not talk in class elsewhere. It's just that there was, I felt I was in my place. And before I had felt almost misplaced.

But when I wound up at that school with Native students from all over, and we were all artists and doing art, I was in my realm. I was in my realm of creativity and people who, you know, I could talk in class there. I could not talk in class elsewhere. It's just that there was, I felt I was in my place. And before I had felt almost misplaced.

But when I wound up at that school with Native students from all over, and we were all artists and doing art, I was in my realm. I was in my realm of creativity and people who, you know, I could talk in class there. I could not talk in class elsewhere. It's just that there was, I felt I was in my place. And before I had felt almost misplaced.

Well, I had something with my life with my dad. I mean, that wasn't a walk in a park because he was so good looking and women were always after him. It had its problems, but they were my parents and they loved each other and there was music. It was maybe healthy dysfunction. I don't know. There was dysfunction, but there wasn't the mean spiritedness. Mm-hmm. And the cruelty.

Well, I had something with my life with my dad. I mean, that wasn't a walk in a park because he was so good looking and women were always after him. It had its problems, but they were my parents and they loved each other and there was music. It was maybe healthy dysfunction. I don't know. There was dysfunction, but there wasn't the mean spiritedness. Mm-hmm. And the cruelty.

Well, I had something with my life with my dad. I mean, that wasn't a walk in a park because he was so good looking and women were always after him. It had its problems, but they were my parents and they loved each other and there was music. It was maybe healthy dysfunction. I don't know. There was dysfunction, but there wasn't the mean spiritedness. Mm-hmm. And the cruelty.

I mean, I came home one night and my brothers and sister were huddled in my room because they had watched him make my mother play Russian roulette in front of them.

I mean, I came home one night and my brothers and sister were huddled in my room because they had watched him make my mother play Russian roulette in front of them.

I mean, I came home one night and my brothers and sister were huddled in my room because they had watched him make my mother play Russian roulette in front of them.

And I got there and they were terrified. And I was terrified for my mother. I felt like her guardian. So I felt a little guilty leaving. But at that point, by the time I left, she had kind of gone over to his side in a way, maybe to survive. I think to survive because I always knew that it was different because I always knew my parents loved me. And that makes a difference.

And I got there and they were terrified. And I was terrified for my mother. I felt like her guardian. So I felt a little guilty leaving. But at that point, by the time I left, she had kind of gone over to his side in a way, maybe to survive. I think to survive because I always knew that it was different because I always knew my parents loved me. And that makes a difference.

And I got there and they were terrified. And I was terrified for my mother. I felt like her guardian. So I felt a little guilty leaving. But at that point, by the time I left, she had kind of gone over to his side in a way, maybe to survive. I think to survive because I always knew that it was different because I always knew my parents loved me. And that makes a difference.

That makes a difference in your force field if you know that whatever happens, that they love you. So I knew there was that, and I had that to go on. But to deal with the other and to watch things go down, but I couldn't protect anybody. I already learned that. I couldn't protect them.

That makes a difference in your force field if you know that whatever happens, that they love you. So I knew there was that, and I had that to go on. But to deal with the other and to watch things go down, but I couldn't protect anybody. I already learned that. I couldn't protect them.

That makes a difference in your force field if you know that whatever happens, that they love you. So I knew there was that, and I had that to go on. But to deal with the other and to watch things go down, but I couldn't protect anybody. I already learned that. I couldn't protect them.

So sometimes I feel bad that I wasn't the magnanimous maternal, staying there like the mother hen, but it's not me.