20 pages • 40 minutes read
Joy HarjoWhen the World as We Knew It Ended
Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 2002A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Literary Devices
Free Verse with Anaphora
Harjo wrote “When the World as We Knew It Ended” in free verse, meaning that it lacks a rhyme scheme or regular meter. The poem uses irregular line breaks and rhythm to mimic the more natural patterns of speech. It features anaphora, or repeating words and phrases; it creates rhythm based on the repetition of the word “we” (Lines 1, 9, 11, 15, 16, 21, 25, 29, 35, 40). This makes the poem more like a song or chant. Traditionally poems, speeches, sermons, and songs use repeating phrases to create a hypnotic effect and be easier to remember. Harjo’s poem is incantatory. The repetition of “we” also plays up the poem’s themes of unification and communal power. There may be many uses of “we” because there are so many individuals in the community and because the community continues to grow in strength and size.
Point of View
It is not completely clear who the “we” is. The line “We were dreaming on an occupied island” (Line 1) suggests that the speaker embodies the point of view of Native Americans who view white Americans as occupiers. The ambiguity leaves room for readers to envision themselves as part of the “we.” If they don’t feel like they are part of the collective at the poem’s beginning, the repetition of “we” draws the reader in, inviting them to join by the poem’s end.
The “we” does not speak as an individual, but for many. They pose a contrast with greed, the brothers’ selfishness, and the man who has stolen to become president. The speaker is concerned with their community and the community members with one another. The form of the poem reflects its content, and the theme of individualism versus community.
Metaphor and Personification
Poets use metaphor and personification to dramatize abstract concepts like war, greed, and fear. The poem personifies the birds, trees, and natural elements, giving them human qualities. In doing so, the speaker suggests a belief in nature’s cognitive powers. The speaker shows reverence for the earth. The line “The conference of birds warned us” (Line 23) may not be literal, but it implies that nature understands events that surpass human perception. It knows more than human beings, and communicates if humans know how to listen.
The speaker personifies the earth as a mother: “[A] song [is] born between the legs of her” (Line 51). This aligns nature with a feminine energy, calling back to the traditionally feminine tasks of caring for children and home. These activities— often considered “lesser” or “weaker” than the traditionally masculine acts of conquest and domination—are now the wellspring of hope and strength.
Emotions also have personal attributes. The “fire dragon” (Line 6) is made out of “oil and fear” (Line 6). The speaker uses the dragon as a metaphor for the planes that flew into the Towers.
The poem’s metaphors and use of personification draw out the poem’s themes. The “fire dragon” is a force pitted against the small, humble birds and trees. Similarly, the poem explores the tension between selfishness and community, destruction and creation, and pride and humility.
Related Titles
By Joy Harjo
