DillonChai


 * The Fish Swims Deep **

The fish swims deep. The bubbles of the ocean float, float. The air rises. The bubbles of the small fish float, float. The air rises. The bubbles from all fish float, float. The fish swims deep. The bubbles of the ocean float, float.

// The Song of the Sky Loom  // and // I Have Killed the Deer //are both Native American poems that possess interesting qualities. Both poems rely on repetition at the beginning of sentences. Both poems emphasize the importance of nature and the environment as well. In // I Have Killed the Deer //, the poet is showing how death is an irreplaceable part of the circle of life, and that eventually all will become one with nature. // The Song of the Sky Loom // expresses the Native Americans’ desire to live off the land, and walk amongst the wilderness. However, a major difference they share is the general tone of the poem. // I Have Killed the Deer //is grimmer and focuses more on death in particular. On the other hand, // The Song of the Sky Loom //is optimistic and spiritual, where the writer is hoping for a brighter future, where their gods finally allow man to become one with nature. 3a. The thing I liked the most of // The Navajo Origin Legend //was the way the writer incorporated the wind into the legend through symbolizing our breathing to the “wind of life.” 3b. The mentioning of “people” in the first line confused me. If this was meant as an origin myth, then there shouldn’t already be people when the supposed first couple was created. 3c. “While the wind was blowing, eight of the Mirage People [mirages personified] came and walked around the objects on the ground four times, and as they walked the eagle feathers, whose tips protruded from between the buckskins, were seen to move. When the Mirage People had finished their walk the upper buckskin was lifted; the ears of corn had disappeared, a man and a woman lay there in their stead.” This section of the myth seems the most spiritual, with the greatest intensity out of the story, due to the incorporation of many elements including the Mirage People, the eagle feathers, the wind, and the creation of life. 3d. Corn- represents seed of life, transforms into first man/woman Eagle feather- combines with corn to transform into man/woman Buckskins- summons the wind from west to east 3e.The culture of these people would definitely be closely related to nature. The corn, eagle, and buckskin combined to create man, therefore the people probably believe they are the products of nature. All three helped create life. The buckskin summoned the winds to breathe life into the corn and feather.  4. The writer is referring to killing and death as a necessity, and probably feels little or no remorse for his/her actions. After all, life cannot be sustained without the deaths of others. However, the entire poem is turned around with the line “When I died I must give life To what has nourished me.” Now, he shows how his death will then in turn help create life once again. To summarize, this poem is basically describing the circle of life and its inevitability.