JoannaXue

1. Select one poem of the four provided and write another poem mimicking the style and syntax of the first poem. You can change the topic and words, but the rhythm, nuatomic tommber of syllables, sentence structure and poetic elements (such as repetition and figurative language) have to be mirrored in your poem. You may write on any topic you like.

** THE CORN GROWS UP **

The corn grows up. The waters of the dark clouds drop, drop. The rain descends. The waters from the corn leaves drop, drop. The rain descends. The waters from the plants drop, drop. The corn grows up. The waters of the dark mists drop, drop. // from the Navajo //

** THE CHILD GROWS UP ** by Joanna Xue

The child grows up. The sound of their poop goes slop, slop. The tears descend. The sound of their eating goes chomp chomp The tears descend. The sound of their whining goes stop stop. The child grows up. The sound of their laughter hop hop.

2. Select two poems (must be different than the one you picked for #1) and write two short paragraphs that compare and contrast the poems. Your paragraphs can focus on different elements of the poems, including subject, theme, tone, use of poetic devices such as repetition, imagery, and any progressions that you notice in the poems (for example, you might notice that the images get stronger in each line, or the detail gets more specific). Be sure that (a) you explain how the elements contribute to the message or feeling of the whole poem and (b) that you don’t just talk about one poem and then the other. You have to first talk about the comparisons (similarities) and then the contrasts (differences). So you have to think about the structure of your paragraphs before you write them.

** THE SONG OF THE SKY LOOM **

O our Mother the Earth, O our Father the Sky, . . . weave for us a garment of brightness; May the warp be the white light of morning, May the weft be the red light of evening, May the fringes be the falling rain, May the border be the standing rainbow. Thus weave for us a garment of brightness That we may walk fittingly where birds sing, That we may walk fittingly where grass is green, O our Mother the Earth, O our father the Sky! // from the Tewa Indians //

** Hunting Song **

Comes the deer to my singing.

He, the blackbird, he am I, Bird beloved of the wild deer. Comes the deer to my singing.

From the Mountain Black From the summit, Down the trail, coming, coming now, Comes the deer to my singing.

Through the flower dewdrops Through the flowers, coming, coming now, Comes the deer to my singing. Through the pollen, flower pollen, Coming, coming now, Comes the deer to my singing.

Starting with his left forefoot, Stamping, turns the frightened deer, Comes the deer to my singing.

Quarry mine, blessed am I In the luck of the chase. Comes the deer to my singing.

Comes the deer to my singing, Comes the deer to my song, Comes the deer to my singing.

// from the Navajo Indians //

The two poems are both written by Indian tribes. However, they are not from the same origin. One is written by the Navajo, while the Tewa writes the other. The difference in origin contributes to the different things they emphasis in their artwork. However, their topics both center on one item - nature. The Indians' essentially worshipped nature as their gods for they gave the food they ate, crops, and the rain. Consequently, their literature and art surrounds //nature.//

However centered on nature, the songs differ in subject. The Navajo's song tells of a deer lured in by a hunter's singing. It speaks of how the deer, though in the mountains, rivers, valleys, will always be drawn to the Indian's chanting and song. On the other hand, the Tewa Indian's poem is almost a worship song. Rather than depict a scene, they request for things from their mother nature. They start each with an almost command-like statement, "weave us a..." This shows the difference the Tewas and the Navajos viewed God and nature and their difference in power in it.

3. Read the short story called "The Navajo Origin Legend". Answer the following questions: a. What did you like about the story? I really liked the story because it very effectively shows the culture of the Navajo people and what believe. From what they believe you can see their motivations, how they value their lives, etc.

b. What did you dislike about the story? I disliked how the story didn't address some things making it confusing and not relatable. It was hard to for me to truly understand and grasp the story and the impact it has on the Navajo people.

c. What was the image that was most powerful or interesting for you? The image of how the white corn grew into the man and the yellow corn into the woman was the most powerful image to me.

d. The Native Americans who wrote this poem are similar to other pre-colonial societies in that they write about the materials of their everyday lives in their myths. Food, nature, and animals are some such materials. Identify all the specific materials that appear in the story that would be common in the everyday lives of the Native American culture. For each material that you identify, explain briefly what is happening to it in the story.

Corn and Buckskin are the most dominant figures in the story, other than the gods. Not only are they dominant in the tale, they are also vital to the Native Americans' life. The two ears of corn turn into the first humans. The buckskin is the sacred item that holds everything together and instigates the transformation.

e. What can you tell about the culture of this people based on the materials that appear in this story and they way that these objects are used? Do you notice any patterns in how these materials are depicted?

The corn eventually turn into the first humans alive. This greatly illustrates the importance corn had on the Native Americans' lives. Not only was it their staple food crop, it was often their way of currency and trading, alongside buckskin. Buckskin is depicted as 'sacred' in the story, a very similar to the way it was seen in real life.

4. The speaker in "I Have Killed a Deer" talks about death and killing in an unusual way. How would you describe the way he talks about death and killing? Why does he talk about it this way? Do you think he feels sorry for killing living things? What single line is a turning point in the message of this poem? What is the overall message of this poem, in a single short sentence?

The "twisted" way he tells of death and killing is an interesting and refreshing break from society's norm on loss. He talks this way because he believes in a 'cirle of life.' Everything comes back to where it came from. Though he kills and uses the animals and plants, he, in return, will also die; Through this he will replenish the plants which conversely replenishes the animals. The overall message: what comes around goes around.