A Gift from the Creator
Fire provides warmth and protection
It embodies life and a connection to the spirit world
Fire is used in celebrations, prayers, and gatherings
As a gift from the Creator
Fire can be incorporated into ceremonies and assists with healing and grief
It teaches us lessons in respect, responsibility and interconnectedness By tending the fire, we gain a sense of belonging and purpose
This gift from the Creator
Also embodies the Anishinaabe spirit of resilience and perseverance
We use its light to share stories and come together as a community Moreover, we are all gifts from the Creator, connected with the sacred fire
Poem 2: Fire
Fire can bring light to the darkest of nights
And provides warmth on the coldest of nights.
It offers us protection, in return, we give a spirit plate in prayer
Fire can also bring us laughter as we gather to share stories
While roasting marshmallows and listening to the crackle of the embers
It can cook our food and boil our water
However, fire can cause destruction if not respected
It can consume everything without prejudice and
Produce a lot of smoke, as is to be expected
Often, we take fire for granted.
Yet, it can be remembered in its ashes.
Fire can be used to benefit future generations
Generations can cherish fire to come
It is helpful for both young and old
Everyone can value it.
Poet’s Reflection
While writing my poems, I have come to realize that poetry is not my strongest skill. I
often have ideas, but I struggle with their composition. Expressing my thoughts in rhyme is challenging, and I feel I lack the creativity needed for poetry. However, I do enjoy reading it.
I chose fire as my theme because I went camping this past summer and truly enjoyed sitting by the campfire with my classmates. The calming effects of the fire made it a memorable experience, as I haven’t gone camping much as an adult, unlike my childhood.
I attempted to create a concrete poem that visually resembles a flame. I experimented with varying the lengths of the lines to achieve this effect. The result sounded like a ballad. With the gift being at the beginning of every line.
For my second poem, I used all the ideas about fire that I hadn’t incorporated into the first one. I had written down various concepts in a notebook and worked on finding rhyming words. I believe I may need to get a thesaurus, as I realized my vocabulary was lacking while creating both poems
In the assigned readings, I noticed how the poets told stories, often discussing their home lives or their environments. There was a lot of emotion present in their works. This served as inspiration for my own poems. I can imagine that the poems written in Sami must sound very lyrical. Thus, I have adopted both the sounds and imagery for my poems to demonstrate how traditional teachings remain relevant and vital in contemporary contexts.
