Reference no: EM133503592

Question 1: We know that Harjo's specific creative process for writing An American Sunrise: Poems (2019) was to travel back to the traditional homeland of the Mvskoke (Muscogee) Creek, literally reversing the Trail of Tears. What is the Trail of Tears? Why does Harjo want to travel back to her ancestral homelands via the Trail? What does it allow her to do or to say through her action and in the poems that was previously unsaid? You must also quote at least two times from the poems and the introduction as well as from the information on the Trail of Tears in order to support your claims (relevant quotes only, please). Caution: be sure to cite all page #s from the collection and make sure the quote you're using actually supports what you're saying about her process, the Trail of Tears, the Indian Removal act, etc.

Question 2: How does An American Sunrise: Poems (2019) retell the U.S. national myth? (In order to answer this you must first select and briefly describe a U.S. national myth such as the "open frontier," "manifest destiny," the "American Dream," etc.). When explaining how Harjo reframes/retells this myth, be sure to give specific concrete examples (in the form of relevant quotes) from the poems in the collection as well as supporting information from secondary sources, e.g. the history of the Trail of Tears. Caution: be sure to cite all page #s.

Question 3: In her inaugural performance as U.S. Poet Laureate, Harjo talked about historical trauma; she makes the claim that "we all have our poems that are part of this story." Consider what the theme of an "American sunrise" means for you and your family right now--what will the new day hold? what is your part of the story? Write your response in the form of a poem. Remember to practice the craft of care.