Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Coosaponakeesa (Mary Musgrove Matthews Bosomworth), Queen of the Creeks, 1700-1763," by Rayna Green, is a vivid, unflinching portrayal of a woman who navigated the treacherous waters of colonial expansion, cultural identity, and personal power. Dedicated to Joy Harjo, a poet renowned for her work exploring Native American identity and history, the poem weaves together historical narrative, myth, and defiance to reclaim the story of Coosaponakeesa, also known as Mary Musgrove. Green’s poem doesn't just recount Mary’s life; it reimagines her spirit and legacy, offering a fierce, unapologetic tribute to both her resistance and her complexity.

The poem opens with a provocative question: "what kind of lovers could they have been these colonists / good enough to marry them every one / or was it something else that made her take them on." These lines immediately set the tone for the poem’s interrogation of Mary’s relationships with colonial men. Rather than reducing these unions to simple affection or submission, Green invites readers to consider the strategic dimensions of these marriages. The phrasing "take them on" suggests confrontation and agency, framing Mary as a woman who used every tool at her disposal—love, politics, and alliance—to protect her people and land.

Green’s description of Mary as "all woman part swamp rat half horse" is both earthy and powerful. This imagery blurs the boundaries between human, animal, and landscape, highlighting Mary’s deep connection to the land of Georgia and the Creek Nation. The poem continues, "she rode through Georgia / It was hers and the Creeks and Oglethorpe wanted it all." Here, the historical conflict between Mary and General James Oglethorpe, the founder of the Georgia colony, is condensed into a personal and territorial struggle. Oglethorpe’s ambition for control over Creek lands contrasts sharply with Mary’s fierce resistance. Yet, Green complicates this narrative by stating, "But she rolled with him too and kept them at bay for too long," suggesting a relationship that was both adversarial and collaborative, marked by strategic alliances and betrayals.

The poem doesn’t shy away from the misogynistic slander Mary faced: "until they called her slut / and said she'd sold out for the goods." These lines underscore the double standard faced by powerful women, especially women of color, who navigate male-dominated political spaces. Mary’s enemies attempted to reduce her political acumen and resistance to mere material greed. But Green counters this accusation by affirming Mary’s deeper motivations: "the money and velvet was what she loved sure enough / but Ossabaw and Sapelo and Savannah more so." The juxtaposition of material goods with beloved places emphasizes that while Mary may have enjoyed the trappings of wealth, her heart remained tied to the land. The islands of Ossabaw and Sapelo, and the city of Savannah, symbolize more than geography—they represent the heritage, autonomy, and identity of the Creek people.

Green’s depiction of Mary’s resistance is multifaceted: "she fought them with sex and war and anything that worked." This line dismantles any simplistic notion of heroism or purity, presenting Mary as a figure who embraced all forms of resistance. The poem refuses to sanitize her story; instead, it celebrates the complexity of her methods. Yet, despite her efforts, "they rolled over her." This abrupt, almost casual phrase captures the overwhelming force of colonial expansion and the eventual erosion of Mary’s power. But the poem doesn’t end with defeat.

In a striking turn, Green invokes a powerful piece of Creek folklore: "The Creeks say Mary came back as Sherman just to see what they'd taken away / burned to the ground / and returned to her once more." This allusion to General William Tecumseh Sherman, infamous for his scorched-earth tactics during the Civil War, is both ironic and poetic. Sherman’s destruction of the South is reimagined as Mary’s posthumous revenge, a spectral reclamation of the land that had been stolen from her and her people. The suggestion that Mary’s spirit guided this destruction reframes Sherman’s march as an act of Indigenous vengeance rather than merely a military strategy.

The final lines shift the focus from Mary’s historical narrative to her enduring legacy among Creek women today: "The Creek girls in Oklahoma laugh like Mary now / wild and good / they'll fight you for it / and make you want everything all over again." These lines connect past and present, illustrating how Mary’s spirit lives on in contemporary Creek women who continue to embody her defiance and vitality. The description of them as "wild and good" challenges stereotypes of Indigenous women, presenting them as unapologetically fierce and joyful. The phrase "make you want everything all over again" suggests that their strength and allure are irresistible, forcing others to confront the full scope of what has been taken and what remains.

The poem concludes with an uncompromising declaration: "no deals this time though / it's all or nothing." This final line rejects the compromises and negotiations that characterized Mary’s time. The new generation of Creek women will not settle for partial victories or piecemeal concessions; they demand total recognition, total justice. Green’s poem thus serves not only as a historical reflection but also as a call to action, urging continued resistance and the reclamation of identity and land.

Stylistically, the poem’s free verse form mirrors its subject matter—fluid, defiant, and unconstrained by traditional poetic structures. The lack of punctuation and capitalization gives the poem a breathless, urgent quality, as if Mary’s spirit is speaking directly through Green’s words. The conversational tone invites readers into an intimate engagement with history, while the vivid imagery and sharp language ensure that Mary’s story remains both immediate and unforgettable.

In "Coosaponakeesa (Mary Musgrove Matthews Bosomworth), Queen of the Creeks, 1700-1763," Rayna Green masterfully intertwines history, myth, and personal narrative to resurrect and honor a formidable figure whose legacy defies simple categorization. By dedicating the poem to Joy Harjo, Green aligns Mary’s story with a broader tradition of Indigenous storytelling and resistance, ensuring that her voice—and the voices of the Creek women who follow—continue to resonate across time and space.

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