Harjo, Walcott, and Schwartz Reflection

Ruth Owusu

Dr. Ellis 

Postcolonial Literature

October 3, 2023 

Harjo, Walcott, and Schwartz Reflection 


    For this week's readings, I enjoyed the writings of Harjo, Walcott, and Schwartz. A common theme I saw consistent throughout the writings was this powerful emotion personified in the entity of a human, Love, and how we ought to use and understand Love as we progress toward the future. In the context of Harjo, 'Love' is not depicted as romantic or a fuzzy feeling; but rather as direct, fierce yet graceful. What do I mean by this? Through indigenous storytelling and knowledge, Harjo speaks of maps as a way of navigation into our next world- our future. Already the human condition and world have used science as their mode of navigation and have destroyed the sacred tool of internal maps. Harjo presents this and through love shares the reality of where humanity is heading will not be good if we do not quickly re-route and do things right. 

    In Walcott's writing entitled, "Love after Love," Love is personified in a first-person account of showing this deep affection and emotion for each other. Walcott seems to cast a vision of what Love looks like when we show it to ourselves and commune with ourselves. There is no need to imagine the future through journaling or reminiscing through letters or pictures; just simply existing in the present and enjoying yourself in the presence of Love. 

    In Schwartz's poem reading, Schwartz seems to incorporate the frustrations of Harjo and the request of Walcott for love in the future. Schwartz's poem entitled, "The Future Love You Already" uses different voices and people to share the words of the poem: words of promise and words of hope. The poem looks at 'The Future' and what The Future is and will consist of, as we progress towards it. Schwartz could have read the poem herself; however, incorporating unique and different voices in reading the poem contributes to the collective, harmonious part of the future. In order for us to make in reality what we want to see in the future, we must all work and speak together. 

    In the second half of the poem, Schwartz proceeds to delve into what The Future consists of through personification by way of a growing human from birth to a full-grown adult. Schwartz goes into the different elements of human life such as eating, crying, and grieving. Moving Forward, The Future positions itself as an activist, truth-teller, and change of the world. For example, as stated in the video "The future...is an ocean free of trash..." "The future speaks truth to the power until power is no longer a weapon." In all, this Future has an emotion, a very powerful one, which is Love. The most consistent theme is that 'The Future Loves You Already.' 

    If a society uses the indigenous knowledge of internal maps for navigation and uses the entity of Love in enjoying one another. Then the Future requires us to just hop in the car and go; to implement and do the great things we require of the future. 

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