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ⓘ About Joy Harjo
About Joy Harjo Joy Harjo is an internationally acclaimed poet and performer from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. She has made a significant impact in the literary world, serving three terms as the 23rd Poet Laureate of the United States. Her work often bridges cultural experiences, reflecting her heritage and providing readers with unique perspectives. Harjo’s writing showcases her ability to blend poetry with storytelling, creating narratives that draw readers in. Her prowess as a writer is evident in her skillful crafting of characters and protagonists. Harjo’s stories often feature vivid characters who resonate with readers, embodying relatable challenges and growth. Her narratives are engaging, offering a blend of rich cultural elements and universal themes.
All Book Series by Joy Harjo
The Spiral of Memory
Series opener · book 1 of 7 · published 1996 Co-authored · Laura Coltelli
Girl Warrior: On Coming of Age
Latest in the series · book 7 of 7 · published 2025
Four Poets on Poetry
Series opener · book 1 of 143 · published 1959 Anthology · Don Cameron Allen
Modern Russian Poets on Poetry
Book 2 of 143 · published 1976 Anthology · Carl R. Proffer
Goatfoot Milktongue Twinbird: Interviews, Essays, and Notes on Poetry, 1970-76
Book 3 of 143 · published 1978 Anthology · Donald Hall
Walking Down the Stairs: Selections from Interviews
Book 4 of 143 · published 1978 Anthology · Galway Kinnell
Writing the Australian Crawl: Views on the Writer's Vocation
Book 5 of 143 · published 1978 Anthology · William Stafford
To Make a Prairie: Essays on Poets, Poetry, and Country Living
Book 6 of 143 · published 1980 Anthology · Maxine Kumin
Open Between Us
Book 7 of 143 · published 1980 Anthology · David Ignatow,Ralph J. Mills
Thinking About Morality )
Book 8 of 143 · published 1980 Anthology · William K. Frankena
The Old Poetries and the New
Book 11 of 143 · published 1981 Anthology · Richard Kostelanetz
Living Off the Country: Essays on Poetry and Place
Book 14 of 143 · published 1982 Anthology · John Meade Haines
The Weather for Poetry: Essays, Reviews, and Notes on Poetry, 1977-81
Book 15 of 143 · published 1982 Anthology · Donald Hall
Required Writing: Miscellaneous Pieces 1955-1982
Book 17 of 143 · published 1983 Anthology · Philip Larkin
Parti-Colored Blocks for a Quilt
Book 18 of 143 · published 1983 Anthology · Marge Piercy
Collected Prose
Book 19 of 143 · published 1983 Anthology · Anne Wright,James Wright
Writing Like a Woman
Book 20 of 143 · published 1983 Anthology · Alicia Suskin Ostriker
Old Snow Just Melting: Essays and Interviews
Book 21 of 143 · published 1983 Anthology · Marvin Bell
A Ballet for the Ear: Interviews, Essays, and Reviews
Book 22 of 143 · published 1983 Anthology · A. Poulin Jr.,JohnLogan
Effluences from the Sacred Caves: More Selected Essays and Reviews
Book 24 of 143 · published 1984 Anthology · Hayden Carruth
A Local Habitation: Essays on Poetry )
Book 25 of 143 · published 1985 Anthology · John Frederick Nims
No Evil Star: Selected Essays, Interviews, and Prose
Book 26 of 143 · published 1985 Anthology · Anne Sexton
You Must Revise Your Life
Book 27 of 143 · published 1986 Anthology · William Stafford
A Concert of Tenses: Essays on Poetry
Book 28 of 143 · published 1986 Anthology · Tess Gallagher
Poetry and Ambition: Essays 1982--88
Book 29 of 143 · published 1988 Anthology · Donald Hall
Reviews and Essays, 1936-55
Book 30 of 143 · published 1988 Anthology · James Reidel,Weldon Kees
Halflife: Improvisations and Interviews, 1977-87
Book 31 of 143 · published 1988 Anthology · Charles Wright
Poetry Beat: Reviewing the Eighties
Book 33 of 143 · published 1990 Anthology · Tom Clark
Speaking of Writing: Selected Hopwood Lectures
Book 34 of 143 · published 1990 Anthology · Nicholas Delbanco
Wonderful Words, Silent Truth
Book 35 of 143 · published 1990 Anthology · Charles Simic
Conversant Essays: Contemporary Poets on Poetry
Book 36 of 143 · published 1990 Anthology · James McCorkle
Poems Are Hard to Read
Book 37 of 143 · published 1990 Anthology · William Meredith
Predecessors, Et Cetera: Essays
Book 38 of 143 · published 1991 Anthology · Amy Clampitt
Suicides and Jazzers
Book 40 of 143 · published 1993 Anthology · Hayden Carruth
Words to Create a World
Book 41 of 143 · published 1993 Anthology · Daniel Hoffman
Shelf Life: Essays, Memoirs, and an Interview
Book 43 of 143 · published 1993 Anthology · Thom Gunn
Tales Out of School: Selected Interviews
Book 44 of 143 · published 1993 Anthology · Robert Creeley
Eloquence and Mere Life: Essays on the Art of Poetry
Book 45 of 143 · published 1994 Anthology · Alan Williamson
Richer Entanglements: Essays and Notes on Poetry and Poems
Book 46 of 143 · published 1994 Anthology · Gregory Orr
The Unemployed Fortune-Teller
Book 47 of 143 · published 1995 Anthology · Charles Simic
The Judge Is Fury: Dislocation and Form in Poetry
Book 48 of 143 · published 1995 Anthology · Mary Kinzie
Death to the Death of Poetry
Book 49 of 143 · published 1995 Anthology · Donald Hall
Poetry Now - Poets on Poetry
Book 50 of 143 · published 1995 Anthology · Kerrie Pateman
Robert Lowell's Life and Work: Damaged Grandeur
Book 53 of 143 · published 1995 Anthology · Richard W. Tillinghast
Quarter Notes: Improvisations and Interviews
Book 54 of 143 · published 1996 Anthology · Charles Wright
The Spiral of Memory
Book 56 of 143 · published 1996 Co-authored · Laura Coltelli
Trying to Say It: Outlooks and Insights on How Poems Happen
Book 57 of 143 · published 1996 Anthology · PhilipBooth
A World That Will Hold All the People
Book 58 of 143 · published 1996 Anthology · Suzanne Gardinier
The Instant of Knowing: Lectures, Criticism, and Occasional Prose
Book 59 of 143 · published 1997 Anthology · Elizabeth Spires,Josephine Jacobsen
Guns and Boyhood in America: A Memoir of Growing Up in the 50s
Book 61 of 143 · published 1997 Anthology · Jonathan Holden
The Long Schoolroom: Lessons in the Bitter Logic of the Poetic Principle
Book 62 of 143 · published 1997 Anthology · Allen Grossman
Women and Poetry: Truth, Autobiography, and the Shape of the Self
Book 63 of 143 · published 1997 Anthology · Carol Muske-Dukes
Five looks at Elizabeth Bishop
Book 66 of 143 · published 1998 Anthology · Anne Stevenson
Crossing Unmarked Snow: Further Views on the Writer's Vocation
Book 67 of 143 · published 1998 Anthology · William Stafford,Paul Merchant,Vincent Wixon
Poetry and Consciousness
Book 68 of 143 · published 1998 Anthology · C.K. Williams
An Introduction to Geoffrey Hill
Book 72 of 143 · published 1998 Anthology · W.S. Milne
Between the Iceberg and the Ship: Selected Essays
Book 73 of 143 · published 1998 Anthology · Anne Stevenson
The Poetry of Everyday Life
Book 74 of 143 · published 1998 Anthology · John Hollander
Soul Barnacles: Ten More Years with Ray
Book 75 of 143 · published 1999 Anthology · Tess Gallagher,Greg Simon
The Route as Briefed
Book 76 of 143 · published 1999 Anthology · James Vincent Tate
Bardic Deadlines: Reviewing Poetry, 1984-95
Book 77 of 143 · published 1999 Anthology · Geoffrey Paul O'Brien
Blue Notes: Essays, Interviews, and Commentaries
Book 79 of 143 · published 2000 Anthology · Yusef Komunyakaa,Radiclani Clytus
Dancing at the Devil's Party: Essays on Poetry, Politics, and the Erotic
Book 81 of 143 · published 2000 Anthology · Alicia Suskin Ostriker
Merrill, Cavafy, Poems, and Dreams
Book 82 of 143 · published 2000 Anthology · Rachel Hadas
The Straight Line: Writing on Poetry and Poets
Book 83 of 143 · published 2000 Anthology · Ron Padgett
The Gazer Within
Book 84 of 143 · published 2001 Anthology · James Marshall,Larry Levis,Andrew Miller,David St John,John Venable
The Poetry Blues: Essays and Interviews
Book 85 of 143 · published 2001 Anthology · Stanley Plumly,William Matthews,Sebastian Matthews
Further Requirements: Interviews, Broadcasts, Statements and Book Reviews, 1952-85
Book 86 of 143 · published 2001 Anthology · Philip Larkin
Negative Capability: Contemporary American Poetry
Book 87 of 143 · published 2001 Anthology · Linda Gregerson
Body and Soul: Essays on Poetry
Book 88 of 143 · published 2002 Anthology · Mark Jarman
A Boundless Field: American Poetry at Large
Book 89 of 143 · published 2002 Anthology · Stephen Yenser
The Castle of Perseverance
Book 90 of 143 · published 2002 Anthology · Thomas M. Disch
So Ask: Essays, Conversations, and Interviews
Book 91 of 143 · published 2002 Anthology · Philip Levine
Song for Uncle Tom, Tonto, and Mr. Moto: Poetry and Identity
Book 92 of 143 · published 2002 Anthology · David Alan Mura
A Fly in the Soup: Memoirs
Book 93 of 143 · published 2003 Anthology · Charles Simic
The Metaphysician in the Dark
Book 94 of 143 · published 2003 Anthology · Charles Simic
Barrier of a Common Language: An American Looks at Contemporary British Poetry
Book 95 of 143 · published 2003 Anthology · Dana Gioia
The Answers Are Inside the Mountains: Meditations on the Writing Life
Book 96 of 143 · published 2003 Anthology · William Stafford,Paul Merchant,Vincent Wixon
Fables of Representation
Book 97 of 143 · published 2004 Anthology · Paul Hoover
Poetry and What is Real
Book 99 of 143 · published 2004 Anthology · Richard W. Tillinghast
The Passionate Spectator: Essays on Art and Poetry
Book 101 of 143 · published 2006 Anthology · John Yau
The Failure of Poetry, The Promise of Language Jackson,John Nolan)
Book 102 of 143 · published 2007 Anthology · Laura (Riding
Power and Possibility
Book 103 of 143 · published 2007 Anthology · Elizabeth Alexander
Ed Dorn Live: Lectures, Interviews, and Outtakes
Book 104 of 143 · published 2007 Anthology · Ed Dorn,Joseph Richey,Peter Michelson
Atlas: Selected Essays, 1989-2007
Book 105 of 143 · published 2008 Anthology · Alfred Corn
Orpheus in the Bronx: Essays on Identity, Politics, and the Freedom of Poetry
Book 106 of 143 · published 2008 Anthology · Reginald Shepherd
On Burning Ground
Book 107 of 143 · published 2009 Anthology · Sandra M. Gilbert
Set in Motion: Essays, Interviews, and Dialogues
Book 108 of 143 · published 2009 Anthology · A.R. Ammons,Zofia Burr
Poetics of Dislocation
Book 109 of 143 · published 2009 Anthology · Meena Alexander
The Body of Poetry: Essays on Women, Form, and the Poetic Self
Book 110 of 143 · published 2010 Anthology · Annie Ridley Crane Finch
Coming After: Essays on Poetry
Book 111 of 143 · published 2010 Anthology · Alice Notley
A Martian Muse
Book 112 of 143 · published 2010 Anthology · Reginald Shepherd,Robert Philen
The Lover of a Subversive Is Also a Subversive
Book 113 of 143 · published 2010 Anthology · Martín Espada
Unauthorized Voices
Book 115 of 143 · published 2010 Anthology · Marilyn Hacker
Two Minds of a Western Poet
Book 116 of 143 · published 2011 Anthology · David Mason
The Game Changed: Essays and Other Prose
Book 117 of 143 · published 2011 Anthology · Lawrence Joseph
Noise That Stays Noise: Essays
Book 118 of 143 · published 2011 Anthology · Cole Swensen
Available Surfaces: Essays on Poesis
Book 119 of 143 · published 2012 Anthology · T.R. Hummer
Windows and Doors: A Poet Reads Literary Theory
Book 120 of 143 · published 2014 Anthology · Natasha Sajé
Yes, There Will Be Singing
Book 121 of 143 · published 2014 Anthology · Marilyn Krysl
Show Me Your Environment: Essays on Poetry, Poets, and Poems
Book 122 of 143 · published 2014 Anthology · Boojkdl ajdp,David Baker
The Necropastoral
Book 123 of 143 · published 2014 Anthology · Joyelle McSweeney
From the Valley of Making: Essays on the Craft of Poetry
Book 124 of 143 · published 2015 Anthology · David Wojahn
Immanent Distance: Poetry and the Metaphysics of the Near at Hand
Book 125 of 143 · published 2015 Anthology · Bruce Bond
Resident Alien: On Border-crossing and the Undocumented Divine
Book 126 of 143 · published 2015 Anthology · Kazim Ali
The Skin of Meaning: Collected Literary Essays and Talks
Book 127 of 143 · published 2016 Anthology · Aaron Shurin
How Long Have You Been With Us?: Essays on Poetry
Book 128 of 143 · published 2016 Anthology · Khaled Mattawa
Condition Red: Essays, Interviews, and Commentaries
Book 129 of 143 · published 2017 Anthology · Yusef Komunyakaa,Radiclani Clytus
The Little Death of Self: Nine Essays toward Poetry
Book 130 of 143 · published 2017 Anthology · Marianne Boruch
The Mirror Diary: Selected Essays
Book 131 of 143 · published 2017 Anthology · Garrett Hongo
Pivotal Voices, Era of Transition: Toward a 21st Century Poetics
Book 132 of 143 · published 2017 Anthology · Rigoberto González
Ecstatic Émigré: An Ethics of Practice
Book 133 of 143 · published 2018 Anthology · Claudia Keelan
The Sound of Listening: Poetry as Refuge and Resistance
Book 135 of 143 · published 2018 Anthology · Philip Metres
The Underground Poetry Metro Transportation System for Souls: Essays on the Cultural Life of Poetry
Book 136 of 143 · published 2019 Anthology · Tony Hoagland
From the Valley of Bronze Camels
Book 137 of 143 · published 2022 Anthology · Jane Miller
A Beat Beyond
Book 138 of 143 · published 2022 Anthology · Major Jackson,Amor Kohli
Working Time: Essays on Poetry, Culture, and Travel
Book 139 of 143 · published 2022 Anthology · Lucy Jane Miller
To Go Into the Words
Book 140 of 143 · published 2023 Anthology · Norman Finkelstein
Ghosts and the Overplus
Book 141 of 143 · published 2024 Anthology · Christina Pugh
Joy (Or Something Darker, but Like It)
Book 142 of 143 · published 2024 Anthology · Nathaniel Perry
How to Draw a Circle
Latest in the series · book 143 of 143 · published 2024 Anthology · Dan Beachy-Quick
Coffee 3 A M
Series opener · book 1 of 14 · published 1982 Anthology · Brenda Hillman
Black Holes, Black Stockings
Book 3 of 14 · published 1985 Anthology · Olga Broumas
Pieces of Air in the Epic
Book 10 of 14 · published 2005 Anthology · Brenda Hillman
Seasonal Works with Letters on Fire
Book 12 of 14 · published 2013 Anthology · Brenda Hillman
Extra Hidden Life, among the Days
Book 13 of 14 · published 2018 Anthology · Brenda Hillman
In a Few Minutes Before Later
Latest in the series · book 14 of 14 · published 2022 Anthology · Brenda Hillman
Real Things: An Anthology of Popular Culture in American Poetry
Book 2 of 9 · published 1999
When the Light of the World Was Subdued, Our Songs Came Through
Book 7 of 9 · published 2020
Another Last Call: Poems on Addiction and Deliverance
Latest in the series · book 9 of 9 · published 2023
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Joy Harjo?
About Joy Harjo Joy Harjo is an internationally acclaimed poet and performer from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. She has made a significant impact in the literary world, serving three terms as the 23rd Poet Laureate of the United States. Her work often bridges cultural experiences, reflecting her heritage and providing readers with unique perspectives.
Which Joy Harjo series should I start with?
The best place to start is the Poets on Poetry series, the earliest of Joy Harjo's multi-book series: it opens with Four Poets on Poetry (1959) and runs to 143 books across 1959–2024, ending with How to Draw a Circle (2024). Joy Harjo's other series stand alone, so they can be read in any order.
How many books has Joy Harjo written?
Joy Harjo has 184 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1959 and 2026. 157 of them belong to 2 named series — the largest being the Poets on Poetry series with 143 books — and 27 are standalone titles, collections or anthologies.
In what order should Joy Harjo's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. Joy Harjo's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are Poets on Poetry (1959–2024, 143 books) and Wesleyan Poetry (1982–2022, 14 books).
How are Joy Harjo's books organised into series?
This guide splits Joy Harjo's 184 books into 2 named series and 27 titles that stand alone or appear only in collections: Poets on Poetry (143 books, 1959–2024); Wesleyan Poetry (14 books, 1982–2022).