1. Metaphor: Harjo uses metaphors to compare various elements and draw parallels between them. For instance, she compares the speaker's memories to "a jar of water" and "a basket of fruit," implying the precious and fragile nature of these recollections.
2. Personification: The poem personifies the speaker's memories by giving them human qualities and actions. The memories are described as "running wild" and "laughing and crying" as if they were living entities.
3. Enjambment: Harjo frequently uses enjambment, running sentences across line breaks without proper punctuation. This technique creates a sense of fluidity and urgency, allowing the poem's ideas and emotions to flow continuously without interruption.
4. Symbolism: Harjo employs symbolic imagery throughout the poem. For example, the "jar of water" and "basket of fruit" represent the speaker's memories, while the act of "remembering" is symbolized as a journey of self-discovery and connection with one's heritage.
5. Repetition: Harjo uses repetition to emphasize key words, phrases, and ideas throughout the poem. The repetition of words like "remember," "singing," and "crying" creates a rhythmic effect and reinforces the emotional intensity of the speaker's experiences.
6. Contrast: Harjo juxtaposes contrasting images and emotions to highlight the complexity of remembering and the bittersweet nature of nostalgia. The poem shifts between moments of joy and pain, laughter and tears, as the speaker reflects on both positive and negative memories.
7. Alliteration: Harjo incorporates alliteration, the repetition of consonant sounds, to create a sense of euphony and sonic cohesion. For instance, the repetition of "f" and "l" sounds in lines like "floating on the water" and "laughing and crying" adds musicality to the verse.
8. Figurative Language: Harjo employs a variety of figurative language devices, including similes and imagery, to create vivid sensory experiences for the readers. She compares memories to "a jar of water" and "a basket of fruit," evoking a tactile and visual response to these recollections.
By skillfully weaving together these literary devices, Joy Harjo crafts a deeply evocative poem that explores themes of memory, identity, and the enduring power of the human spirit.