The Year MY Voice Broke

This image represents me in the sense that I am the mountain and even though I may be pretty stubborn like a large pile of rocks, I can easily be shrouded by even fog and clouds. Sometimes in life, I feel as though I ignore even the tiniest yet most important things.

Once the World Was Perfect

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BY JOY HARJO

Once the world was perfect, and we were happy in that world.

Then we took it for granted.

Discontent began a small rumble in the earthly mind.

Then Doubt pushed through with its spiked head.

And once Doubt ruptured the web,

All manner of demon thoughts

Jumped through —

We destroyed the world we had been given

For inspiration, for life —

Each stone of jealousy, each stone

Of fear, greed, envy, and hatred, put out the light.

No one was without a stone in his or her hand.

There we were,

Right back where we had started.

We were bumping into each other

In the dark.

And now we had no place to live, since we didn’t know

How to live with each other.

Then one of the stumbling ones took pity on another

And shared a blanket.

A spark of kindness made a light.

The light made an opening in the darkness.

Everyone worked together to make a ladder.

A Wind Clan person climbed out first into the next world,

And then the other clans, the children of those clans, their children,

And their children, all the way through time —

To now, into this morning light to you.

The poem, Once the world was perfect, is a representation of how I take things for granted. For example, when our house wifi went down, I was devastated. Then I realised that many other people in the world don’t even have wifi. And here I was, complaining about it just because it ran out. And when I catch the train, it is normally too packed and I will be asked to stand. Others in different parts of the world don’t even have the opportunity to ride such long distances in the same and expense, yet here I was complaining yet again.

Song

Lately, I’ve been, I’ve been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things that we could be
But baby, I’ve been, I’ve been praying hard
Said no more counting dollars
We’ll be counting stars
Yeah we’ll be counting stars

I see this life, like a swinging vine
Swing my heart across the line
And in my face is flashing signs
Seek it out and ye’ shall find
Old, but I’m not that old
Young, but I’m not that bold
And I don’t think the world is sold
On just doing what we’re told
I-I-I-I feel something so right
Doing the wrong thing
I-I-I-I feel something so wrong
Doing the right thing
I couldn’t lie, couldn’t lie, couldn’t lie
Everything that kills me makes me feel alive

Lately, I’ve been, I’ve been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things that we could be
But baby, I’ve been, I’ve been praying hard
Said no more counting dollars
We’ll be counting stars

Lately, I’ve been, I’ve been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things that we could be
But baby, I’ve been, I’ve been praying hard
Said no more counting dollars
We’ll be, we’ll be counting stars

I feel the love and I feel it burn
Down this river, every turn
Hope is our four-letter word
Make that money, watch it burn
Old, but I’m not that old
Young, but I’m not that bold
And I don’t think the world is sold
On just doing what we’re told
I-I-I-I feel something so wrong
Doing the right thing
I could lie, could lie, could lie
Everything that drowns me makes me wanna fly

Lately, I’ve been, I’ve been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things that we could be
But baby, I’ve been, I’ve been praying hard
Said no more counting dollars
We’ll be counting stars

Lately, I’ve been, I’ve been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things that we could be
But baby, I’ve been, I’ve been praying hard
Said no more counting dollars
We’ll be, we’ll be counting stars

Take that money
Watch it burn
Sink in the river
The lessons I’ve learned

Take that money
Watch it burn
Sink in the river
The lessons I’ve learned

Take that money
Watch it burn
Sink in the river
The lessons I’ve learned

Take that money
Watch it burn
Sink in the river
The lessons I’ve learned

Everything that kills me, makes feel alive…

Lately, I’ve been, I’ve been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things that we could be
But baby, I’ve been, I’ve been praying hard
Said no more counting dollars
We’ll be counting stars

Lately, I’ve been, I’ve been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things that we could be
But baby, I’ve been, I’ve been praying hard
Said no more counting dollars
We’ll be, we’ll be counting stars

Take that money
Watch it burn
Sink in the river
The lessons I’ve learned

Take that money
Watch it burn
Sink in the river
The lessons I’ve learned

Take that money
Watch it burn
Sink in the river
The lessons I’ve learned

Take that money
Watch it burn
Sink in the river
The lessons I’ve learned

Unlike the other representations, this song is about how I should be striving more and more. I should be setting ambitious goals and work diligently towards them.