Eagle Poem
By Joy Harjo
To pray you open your whole self
To sky, to earth, to sun, to moon
To one whole voice that is you.
And know there is more
That you can’t see, can’t hear;
Can’t know except in moments
Steadily growing, and in languages
That aren’t always sound but other
Circles of motion.
Like eagle that Sunday morning
Over Salt River. Circled in blue sky
In wind, swept our hearts clean
With sacred wings.
We see you, see ourselves and know
That we must take the utmost care
And kindness in all things.
Breathe in, knowing we are made of
All this, and breathe, knowing
We are truly blessed because we
Were born, and die soon within a
True circle of motion,
Like eagle rounding out the morning
Inside us.
We pray that it will be done
In beauty.
In beauty.
Summary of Eagle Poem
- Popularity of “Eagle Poem”: Published back in 1990 in a collection, In Mad Love and War, “Eagle Poem” by Joy Harjo, an American poet, and writer, is a contemplative poetic piece. Joy recollects her memories of a beautiful eagle flying above the River in Arizona. She wrote this poem keeping in mind man’s connection with all human beings in the world. It, however, has won popularity because it talks about universal themes in a unique way.
- “Eagle Poem” As a Representative of Wonder: This positive poem addresses how we should be thankful in life. It begins when the speaker states that prayers mean opening your awareness to the sky, earth, and moon. Thus, when one prays, he/she extends his/her awareness to the entire world. Next, she contemplates the mystery of the universe, saying that the world contains a unique knowledge we cannot access through sight or hearing. It includes knowledge that uses other means beyond traditional languages and approaches in special moments. She recalls seeing an eagle in a windy blue sky above the Salt River in Arizona to support her ideas. Its circular movement in the clear blue sky sparks a sense of purification or something holy to the eyes of the people watching its movement. She further says that humans see themselves in the bird to determine their life’s purpose.
Next, she addresses the readers and tries to make them realize that they are deeply connected to the world they breathe in. She adds that the cycle of life resembles the eagle’s circular flight. The poem ends by calling our lives a beautiful journey led by positive emotions. - Major Themes in “Eagle Poem”: Praise, beauty, life, and man versus nature are the major themes of the poem. This poem skilfully presents human beings as a small part of the vast, beautiful interconnected universe. To the speaker, praying means opening oneself to the mysterious and captivating universe and showing love and kindness for other living beings. Throughout the poem, she uses simple words to portray man’s connection to the natural world. She believes that people are linked to their surroundings; therefore, they should think out of self and realize that they are part of a beautiful journey. Therefore, she urges them to submit themselves to soothing nature and become the epitome of kindness and love.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in Eagle Poem
literary devices are tools that give writers the strength to express their unique thoughts in an impressive way. Their appropriate use not only brings richness to the poems but also makes them easy to understand for the readers. Joy Harjo has used many literary devices in the poem, whose analysis is as follows.
- Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /e/ in “To pray you open your whole self” and the sound of /o/ in “To sky, to earth, to sun, to moon.”
- Anaphora: It refers to the repetition of a word or expression in the first part of some verses. Jo repeated the word “to” in the first stanza of the poem to emphasize the point, such as
“To pray you open your whole self
To sky, to earth, to sun, to moon
To one whole voice that is you.”
- Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /t/ in “That we must take the utmost care” and the sound of /n/ in “Were born, and die soon within a.”
- Enjambment: It is defined as a thought in verse that does not come to an end at a line break; rather, it rolls over to the next line. For example;
“Breathe in, knowing we are made of
All this, and breathe, knowing
We are truly blessed because we
Were born, and die soon within a
True circle of motion”
- Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. Jo Harjo has used imagery in this poem, such as; “Were born, and die soon within a”, “To pray you open your whole self” and “Over Salt River. Circled in blue sky.”
- Metaphor: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between objects different in nature. The poet used nature as an extended metaphor in the poem to show how it provides us a chance to adore the beautiful nature around us.
- Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings that are different from the literal meanings. The poem uses symbols such as beauty, the transience of life, the cyclical nature of life, and man’s role in the universe.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in Eagle Poem
Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is an analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.
- Diction: The poem shows descriptive diction having rhetorical devices, symbolism, and impressive images.
- Free Verse: Free verse is a type of poetry that does not contain patterns of rhyme or meter. This is a free verse poem with no strict rhyme or meter.
- Stanza: A stanza is a poetic form of some lines. There are twenty-six lines in this poem with no stanza break.
Quotes to be Used
The following lines are useful to quote when referring to the spiritual effects of making silent prayers.
“To pray you open your whole self
To sky, to earth, to sun, to moon
To one whole voice that is you.
And know there is more
That you can’t see, can’t hear;”
