Remember

“Remember” is written in free verse, a popular form in contemporary poetry. Unlike formal, rhymed poetry, free verse mimics the patterns of informal speech, creating an intimacy between speaker and reader/listener. Many of Harjo’s poems are meant to be spoken aloud or performed, sometimes alongside music. “Remember” mimics the patterns of a sermon in which a speaker would address the audience directly in terms they would understand.

Anaphora is a technique in which poets repeat a word or phrase to create rhythm, and to emphasize the repeated word or phrase. The technique is used often in sermons for the same reason. The repetition creates a hypnotic effect, drawing the audience in, making the next line predictable and the piece easier to recall, recite, and chant as a community. Poems that come from oral traditions often use repetition for these reasons and for their mnemonic effectiveness. The repetition of “Remember” encourages readers to “remember to remember,” in part by mimicking the rhythms of the same religious texts that Harjo is advising them to remember. This creates a sacred, timeless quality, in both idea and