She Had Some Horses by Joy Harjo

When reading "She Had Some Horses", I felt like the poem was almost song-like from the repetition used throughout. She constantly repeats the idea of "she had horses", which makes the reader understand that this idea was very important. The first stanza of the poem acts as a representation for her heritage. Harjo describes the horses as "bodies of sand" (2), "skins of ocean water" (4), and "the blue air of sky" (5). These images Harjo invokes an earthy and environmentalist tone. Considering her Native American ancestry, it definitely had influence on her style of writing. The constant repetition of horses can be seen as a catalyst for Harjo's different aspects of herself. The second stanza speaks of her physical part of her, describing her physical features and activities she did. The third stanza talks of her history and personality. After all the stanzas, I feel as if I almost know and understand the author personally. "She had horses who who were much too shy, and kept quiet in stalls of their own making" (20-21). Just with the one sentence, I understand a part of her that was self-conscious and timid. "She had some horses she loved. She had some horses she hated. These were the same horses" (59-61). Harjo also explains that she isn't perfect, by stating she had parts she hated. With so many revealing details told by the author, the poem's tone seems very intimate and personal.