The poem "Perhaps the World Ends Here" by Joy Harjo is centered on the theme of family and life. The opening sentence states "The world begins at a kitchen table.". The poem continues on to describe everything that gets done there and the people it brings together.
Harjo seems to be saying that the "kitchen table" is the common factor in the things we do that bring people together. For most families and in most homes, people get together and share there thoughts, ideas and daily occurrences during mealtime at the table. Its when everyone gets together and just talks and shares themselves. Its a way people stay connected.
This is were people go to for food, for completing tasks, for talking and for many other things. Its were children are taught manners. Were fights occur and were stories are told and made. Its the beginning of everything and the end of everything.
I related to this poem in much the same way. I also took the word "table" to be almost synonymous with "family" within the poem, almost as a physical representation of the family.
ReplyDeleteYes, the personal connection is part of it--but consider the table as perhaps bigger than that--extending to culture, history a "world" table--esp as the poem begins to turn in the last 5 stanzas...much of the cultural state of mind, "flavor" (excuse pun) here is of course Native American; symbolically, the "table" is what provides ballast--physical, psychological, spiritual...
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