Bless This Land

Poetry.

- Joy Harjo

Bless this land from the top of its head to the bottom of its feet

From the arctic old white head to the brown feet of tropical rain

Bless the eyes of this land, for they witness cruelty and kindness in this land

From sunrise light upright to falling down on your knees night

Bless the ears of this land, for they hear cries of heartbreak and shouts of celebration in this land

Once we heard no gunshot on these lands; the trees and stones can be heard singing

Bless the mouth, lips and speech of this land, for the land is a speaker, a singer, a keeper of all that happens here, on this land

Luminous forests, oceans, and rock cliff sold for the trash glut of gold, uranium, or oil bust rush yet there are new stories to be made, little ones coming up over the horizon

Bless the arms and hands of this land, for they remake and restore beauty in this land

We were held in the circle around these lands by song, and reminded by the knowers that not one is over the other, no human above the bird, no bird above the insect, no wind above the grass

Bless the heart of this land on its knees planting food beneath the eternal circle of breathing, swimming and walking this land

The heart is a poetry maker. There is one heart, said the poetry maker, one body and all poems make one poem and we do not use words to make war on this land

Bless the gut labyrinth of this land, for it is the center of unknowing in this land

Bless the femaleness and maleness of this land, for each holds the fluent power of becoming in this land

When it was decided to be in this manner here in this place, this land, all the birds made a birdly racket from indigo sky holds