8100-ABED_1: Lesson 22 — Activity 1: Assignment

In this assignment, read this poem by Duke Redbird that uses imagery very effectively and answer the questions that follow.

A Poem by Duke Redbird

My moccasins have not walked
My moccasins have not walked
Among the giant forest trees

My leggings have not brushed
Against the fern and berry bush

My medicine pouch has not been filled
With roots and herbs and sweetgrass

My hands have not fondled the spotted fawn

My eyes have not beheld
The golden rainbow of the north

My hair has not been adorned
With the eagle feather

Yet
My dreams are dreams of these
My heart is one with them
The scent of them caresses my soul.

Reproduced from Duke Redbird, unnamed poem, in Trish Roman (ed.), Voices Under One Sky: Contemporary Native Literature (Scarborough, ON: Nelson Canada, 1993), p. 11.

Questions:

1. Quote an example from the poem of an image that appeals to your sense of sight. /1

2. Quote an example from the poem of an image that appeals to your sense of touch. /1

3. Quote an example from the poem of an image that appeals to your sense of smell. /1

4. What do you think the poet is saying about his culture in the last stanza? /2

You may use a computer or paper to complete this assignment.

When you are done, review for spelling and proper punctuation.

Please do one of the following:

1. You can type your work directly into the assignment box on the next page by clicking the "add submission" button under the orange box at the bottom of this page.
2. If you typed your work in a separate Word document, save your document, and either send it to your teacher as an e-mail attachment or print it off and hand it in to your teacher so it can be marked.
3. You can also choose to complete a hand-written assignment on a piece of paper. If so, please hand in your assignment to your teacher so it can be marked.

See the Marking Guide below to see how your teacher will grade this assignment.

Marking Guide:

This assignment is worth 5 marks. The marks for each part of the assignment are shown above.

When you are ready to begin writing, click the "add submission" button below. Be sure to save your work as you go!