1. In the Trail of the Wind Reading to Appreciate Native American Poetry

2. What is Native poetry? Prayers Incantations Passages from myths and legends Songs Chants Passed down by word of mouth Eventually, recorded with pictographs, or told with the aid of beads, printed on bark

3. Elements of Native American Poetry Power of words Personification Dualism Father Sky and Mother Earth The Four Quarters Anonymity

4. Power of Words Words are magic Phrases short and powerful Imitate the sound of actions Characterized as incantatory- “uttered in order to bring about the action they describe EXAMPLES “Listen! “Be still!” “Drink my blood!”

5. Personality Animals, plants, and natural objects are often personified; often it’s with a spirit “ wind now commences to sing ”

6. DUALISM Things in nature, even in words are thought of in pairs In poetry, word or stanzas may be paired The two together make for completeness EXAMPLES “white rising/yellow rising Male/female Night/day Life/death

7. Father Sky and Mother Earth The sun or sky often represents the father figure Sunlight and rain are life-giving The underworld or earth is viewed as the womb

8. The Four World Quarters The four directions: East, west, north, south All correspond to the four faces of the human body Front, back, left, right The number 4 is considered sacred

9. Subjects of Native Poetry Home Omens Deer Rain Flowers Wind War Roads of Life Death Dreams

10. Pocahontas & Captain John Smith