Monday, October 12, 2026 — Joy Harjo on the healing power of poetry

Archives Archives » Native America Calling · Oct 12, 2026 · 56m

The new poetry collection "Cloud Runner" from Joy Harjo (Mvskoke) is the culmination and curated expression of her own personal grief. The poems spring from the aftermath of her daughter’s death in 2023 and range from devastating to hopeful. Harjo, musician, artist, and the first Native American U.S. Poet Laureate, explores a mother’s anguish and the time and work it takes to reconcile it. Harjo’s talent for expressing that grief in the most personal way is an instrument in the process that connects the writer with the reader. Along the way, she considers how art and culture can transform…