Postcolonial Love Poem

“Abecedarian Requiring Further Examination of Anglikan Seraphym Subjugation of a Wild Indian Rezervation” by Natalie Diaz (2012)

This poem comes from Diaz’s first collection. It describes the continued genocide enacted on Indigenous peoples and the continuing effects. Reminiscent of her canon as a whole, Diaz subverts Christian imagery to create new meanings.

“My Brother at 3 A.M.” by Natalie Diaz (2012)

This poem weds biographical details with larger societal commentary. The poem describes a mother and father discovering their son on the porch, high and hallucinating. In his paranoia, he fears someone is out to kill him. The poem deals with themes of addiction.

“Manhattan is a Lenape Word” by Natalie Diaz (2020)

This poem from her second collection centers on the ongoing erasure of Indigenous peoples. She draws attention to the systemic and institutional violence experienced in daily life. Diaz uses classical allusions to grieve the loss of her culture.

“An American Sunrise” by Joy Harjo (2017)

Joy Harjo served three terms as the American Poet Laureate from 2019 to 2022. Like in Diaz’s poem, Harjo describes the battle of living as an Indigenous person in America. While she describes struggles such as those with alcoholism and white savior interventions, the poem ultimately concludes that nothing will eradicate Indigenous cultures.

“Love Lessons in a Time of Settler Colonialism” by Tanaya Winder (2018)

Winder considers much the same thematic material as Diaz. In this poem, Winder considers how the violence of settler colonialism impacts her relationship with her daughters. She also considers the looming threat of violence and death that Indigenous women face.