Joy Harjos

Joy Harjo's poem entitled "Heartshed" was my favorite out of the four poems I read by her.  I think we can all relate to her words in this poem, in the sense of always going back to a certain lover who was a great impact on our lives.  I interpreted this poem as being focused around her expressing her feelings about a specific lover who she is always going back to.  But she describes it as a good thing in the line,

"You keep coming back, the one who knows the sound they call 'in the beginning'.  It doesn't mean going backward.  Our bones are built of spirals."

I think she is saying that every new beginning with this lover helps her learn more about them.  In the end she says 

"I forgive you, forgive myself, from the beginning

this heartshed."

As if she means the pain caused from before is forgiven and together they move forward on their journey once again of "heartshed."