MatthewJansen

Matt Jansen **
 * "My Father's Song" by Simon J. Ortiz (1976)

Wanting to say things, I miss my father tonight. His voice, the slight catch, the depth from his thin chest, the tremble of emotion in something he has just said to his son, his song.

We planted corn one Spring at Acu- we planted several times but this one particular time I remember the soft damp sand in my hand.

My father had stopped at one point to show me an overturned furrow; the plowshare had unearthed the burrow nest of a mouse in the soft moist sand.

Very gently, he scooped tiny pink animals into the palm of his hand and told me to touch them. We took them to the edge of the field and put them in the shade of a sand moist clod.

I remember the very softness of cool and warm sand and tiny alive mice and my father saying things.

**Way 1: First Impressions**
My first impression of this poem by Simon J. Ortiz, "My Father's Song" was that it was lyrics to a song or perhaps a type of Ode. As I began to read, the first paragraph makes me feel like a father has died and his son is missing him and wants to tell him something. While I continue to read I have a feeling that the son misses the sound of his father singing him a song. "His voice, the slight catch, the depth from his thin chest, the tremble of emotion" (3,4,5). These are all things the son remembers of his father's words. The son talks about things he and his father have done together. They have planted corn together and apparently many times as the sons references "several times" (9) leading me to believe that they spend much time together, this father and son. The son has memories of the sand in his hand and describes how gentle his father is. The father's gentleness is obvious with the details his son is remembering such as; the way his father carefully picks up the tiny animals and putting them into the shade protecting them from the sun. This is the way I felt when I first read this poem. Now I as I continue through my course, I still feel the same way. The words used in Ortiz' "My Father's Song" as mostly past tense, (planted, stopped, scooped). It is again very obvious that the son misses and admires his father by remembering very specific details about their time together.

**Way 2: Engaging with the Text**
On the surface, the text of this poem is simple which should be easily understandable but to me Ortiz is using symbols to get his point across. At first, I did notice that this poem does not have a constant rhyming theme meaning that it is more a blank verse than a formal verse. However, now that I am spending more time on this poem, there is repetition with the mixed use of the words " soft moist sand" or "soft damp sand", this word reversal shows me that the author wants to emphasis the alliteration used in this poem. A chiasmus or reversal of words lets the reader feel the poetic feel of a piece of literature that appears almost hypnotic ( Brown and Yarbrough 92). The author is using the reversal of words at the end of three stanzas to make a point to the reader. I interpret this as emphasizing the value of the word "sand". Finally, looking at the title of this poem signifies the words are meant to be sung.

**Way 3: A Point about Form and Its Relationship to Content**
At first I thought that Ortiz' poem "My Father's Song" appeared to be a dramatic monologue because you can tell a child is speaking about his father. In the first stanza, the child is identified as his son. In __A Practical Introduction to Literary Study,__ Brown and Yarbrough explain that this form of poetry reveals the speaker's inner thoughts and character through the speech alone (85). When you read this poem, you understand how this child feels about his father, how he looks up to him and how he remembers every small detail of a certain time. "Very gently, he scooped tiny pink animals into the palm of his hand and told me to touch them." ( 18-20) I am still convinced that "My Father's Song" by Ortiz is an Ode just asking to be sung.

4: Unpacking an Instance of Figurative Language
In Ortiz' Poem "My Father's Song", the speakers tells the reader, "My father had stopped at one point to show me an overturned __furrow__: the plowshare had unearthed the burrow nest of a mouse in the soft moist sand." (13-17) This stanza includes a metaphor because it establishes a comparison between two things that have two different meanings. Although a furrow is defined as a narrow groove made in the ground [], which makes perfect sense in this poem, a furrow could also be a deep wrinkle in the father's forehead. Going further, the specific words are "overturned furrow" means that the father was upset when he saw that the plow had upset the mouse nest and he stopped to show his son his unhappiness with a deep wrinkle in his forehead. This metaphor connects to the rest of the poem because you learn that the father is a gentle man and cares for animals. It would be normal to accept the upset in his face by a deep wrinkle.

Way 4: Unpacking Another Instance of Figurative Language
I have gone back and forth on whether Ortiz' is using images or symbols when he refers to "sand" in this poem. A symbol is something that stands for something else, ( Brown and Yarbrough 71) and images as explained by Professor Chick in our difficulty discussion are the words that are written in such a way that can be seen, heard, touched, tasted or smelled. After learning and researching, I have decided that the word "sand" in Ortiz' poem is meant to represent the earth and its importance. Ortiz uses other earthy words such as "unearthed, burrow, field, shade and clod". I really feel that based on Ortiz' heritage that these words are meant to represent the earth in which he has learned to appreciate or to teach his son again the importance of the earth. There is something to be said about how we treat not only each other but the actual earth that Ortiz was raised to appreciate and take care of. His symbolism of these earthy words is part of his Native American heritage.

Way 5: Analyzing the setting - Where and when the narrative took place
At first I felt that the setting in Ortiz' poem takes place in a place called Acu. It is outside and there are nature elements because the narrator speaks about planting corn, a field with shade, clod and sand ( wet, cool, moist sand). The story takes place at night with reference to the word tonight in the opening line, "Wanting to say things, I miss my father tonight" (1-2). The speaker or the son is remembering times with his father and telling us very vivid details about his father. The setting in this poem makes the tone of it very beautiful and relaxing. We are able to feel the love for the father by his son and the wonderful gentle man the father is.

Way 6: Identifying and Analyzing Point of View
Ortiz' poem, "My Father's Song", is written in the first person point of view. As explained in our textbook, __A Practical Introduction to Literary Study,__ Brown and Yarbrough (63), " A narrative in the first person is told by a narrator who is actually a participant in the events of the particular story, either as a protagonist, ( the main or central character in a narrative), or as a side character observing the action from a distance."

The speaker in "My Father's Song" refers to himself as "I" throughout this poem confirming the first person point of view. " Wanting to say things, I miss my father tonight ( 1-2). "I remember the soft damp sand in my hand" (11-12) and finally in the last stanza, the speaker says "I remember the very softness of cool and warm sand and tiny alive mice and my father saying things." ( 24-26)

**Way 7: Analyzing Complexity, Ambiguity, & Difficulty**
In Ortiz' poem, "My Father's Song", there truly is a complexity issue with interpretation at first, however, this poem is not a complex poem like others in the fact that the meaning has substance and the stanzas all relate to each other as opposed to each stanza going in all different directions with different meanings and/or rhyming schemes. As far as ambiguities, I do not see any in this poem. It is pretty straight forward in telling the readers about a father's words that are remembered.

In the beginning, I was having difficulty with the finding the rhyming scheme in "My Father's Song". The reversal of words he uses are significant to me as they symbolize the importance of the earth to Native Americans.

Another difficulty I have is where Acu is. It appears to be a place that is important to the father and son. After a lot of research on the Acoma Pueblo Indians, I can only assume that the place called Acu in this poem is a place on the Acoma land.

**Way 8: Considering Canonicity**
"Generally speaking, most writing judged to be literary and thus a part of what is referred to as the "canon" is so classified because of some combination of its perceived **aesthetic** and cultural value", ( Brown and Yarbrough 2). The reading of Ortiz' poem, "My Father's Song" does have an aesthetic feel to it. While reading you can feel the emotions of the narrator and I feel can actually hear the calmness in his voice. When I refer to the aesthetic feel of this poem, I am not referring to artistic beauty of a subject or character, but am referring to the love that is shared for the father. I also feel that Ortiz expresses gentleness throughout his poem and this to me is a part of artistic beauty along with the idea that this poem was written to apply critical reading skills.

Literary verse is shown throughout Ortiz' poem with the use of literary devices like images and symbols which convey a complex idea, ( Brown and Yarbrough 8). Finally, as Brown and Yarbrough explain in our textbook, it is ok to read a poem over and over again "The best way to appreciate a poem is to devote yourself honestly to the task of appreciating it."(10) I learn something new about Ortiz' poem each time I read it. This to me explains the canonicity of "My Father's Song".

Way 9: Biographical Context
Simon J. Ortiz was born in Albuquerque New Mexico on May 27, 1941. Ortiz is a Native American (Acoma Pueblo) and resides in Tempe Arizona. Growing up in New Mexico, Ortiz' language or native tongue as explained in his biography was Acoma. Acoma is a Native American word for "People of the White Rock" ([]). Ortiz' educational background is very interesting. In grammar school he learned english and for reasons unknown,he went to middle and high school in boarding schools. While his whole life being interested in reading and writing, he knew that one day he would be a writer. Ortiz has been quoted as stating "he sincerely felt a need to say things, to speak, to release the energy of the impulse to help my people", ( galenet.galenetgroup.com.ezproxy.uwc.edu).

Ortiz' career is full of public relation positions such as editors for Native American newspapers and positions with many major universities and art schools.

Way 10: Historical and Cultural Contexts
Simon J. Ortiz is a Native American Indian writer. He was fully raised in an Acoma Pueblo household speaking only Acoma until learning English in elementary school. I have learned some history of the Acoma Pueblo Indiana and can relate this information to the Poem "My Father's Song" by Ortiz. Firstly, I came across some very interesting information regarding the Acoma Pueblo that I would like to share. "They say that the earth was formed when the Great Father Uchtsiti, Lord of the Sun, hurled a clot of his own blood into the heavens. In the soil of this new world, he set germinating the souls of two sisters, the Corn Mothers, who were raised to maturity by a spirit called Thought Woman. When the time was ripe, Thought Woman gave the two sisters baskets filled with seeds and showed them the way to the earth's surface. Corn was the first thing they planted. They learned to cultivate and harvest it, to grind and cook it, and to make daily offerings of cornmeal and pollen to their father, Uchtsiti. These lessons the Acomans would practice every day of their lives." [] I find this piece of information very relevant to Ortiz' poem. His poem speaks of missing a father and planting corn.

As I read information on Ortiz' historical and cultural backgrounds, I found a lot of repetition with the word usage, tradition, language, family and roots. According to Ortiz' biography page within galnet.com, in __Interviews with American Indians__, published in 1987, Ortiz speaks about his roots. "I can't really see any value in not knowing a place. You have to have it. Otherwise you are drifting. You remain at loose ends and you're always searching without ever knowing where you are or what you're coming to. I guess the background, the heritage of Native American people at least offers this opportunity to have a place." This phrase from Ortiz speaks volumes of the feelings he has about home.

**Way 11: Theoretical Application**
Critical theory helps with interpretation of a piece of literature ( Brown and Yarbrough 207). While first reading Ortiz' poem, "My Father's Song", it is very casual, very calm and very easy to read. To help with interpretation, we can look at the author's cultural background and the relationship to the text itself ( Brown and Yarbrough 208). Using the New Criticism approach to critical theory, we can consider the text in Ortiz' poem by looking for the denotative and connotative meanings. Looking for these meanings and other elements of literature helps with interpretation of "My Father's Song". Questions that may help with an interpretationare: what is the relationship between the earth and animal reference to the author, Ortiz? Why are the verbs in this poem past tense? Do we get an idea of the relationship between the son and the father that he misses?

**Way 12: Another Theoretical Application**
Cultural studies and New Historicism explained by Brown and Yarbrough (234), focuses on two somewhat different theories. New Historicism focuses mainly on the historical event and not the culture while cultural studies focuses on the culture as a whole and not the past (234). A question I think can focus on both of these theories to help interpret Ortiz', "My Father's Song" is, whether the Great Father Uchtsiti is the father the son is referring to in his poem? Or is that Ortiz respects his father as much as the Great Father Uchsiti? This question can be asked to determine the history value and whether it is part of Ortiz' cultural, the Acoma Native American Indiana.

Way 13: Unifying Interpretation
In Simon J. Ortiz' poem, "My Father's Song", a son remembers words of wisdom his father has sung to him many times before. The setting of this beautiful poem illuminates when you as the reader can picture an evening sky full of stars and moon light. "Wanting to say things, I miss my father tonight. His voice, the slight catch, the depth from his thin chest, the tremble of emotion in something he has just said to his son, his song." (1-7) Whether you are reading or listening to this poem, you are aware of the calming tone and can almost hear the speaker's voice praise his father's words that he remembers. Memories of times spent together make me think that the genre of this poem is an Ode. An Ode is a form of lyrical poem, A __Practical Introduction to Literary Studies__, (Brown and Yarbrough 84). However, I have to include that perhaps it may be considered a Dramatic Monologue. This type of monologue reveals the inner thoughts of one speaker whom is recognized in the poem as the son. The speaker of Ortiz' poem, "My Father's Song", is told in a first person point of view which is obvious by the usage of the word "I".

The words in Ortiz' poem such as "sand, field, shade and clod" are used as symbols to represent the earth that is so valuable to the author Simon Ortiz and his Native American Indian heritage. Another form of figurative language used in this poem is a metaphor which establishes a comparison between the narrow groove in the ground (furrow) and the father's deep wrinkle in his forehead, "My father had stopped at one point to show me an overturned furrow" (13-14). The reversal of words used in the 2nd to 4th stanzas lend a feel to this already hypnotic poem, again emphasizing the earthy word of "sand".

Ortiz' poem, "My Father's Song" is worthy of becoming a part of the Literary Canon if not already. This poem contains aesthetic and cultural value. Simon Ortiz is an Acoma Pueblo Native American Indian who grew up speaking only his native language. His father was a stonemason which brought him close to the earth, his mother a potter. Ortiz knew that one day he would be a writer and would express his love for the land and to teach the people, the value that goes along with it. Tradition, family, language and roots are important to Ortiz and are expressed throughout his works. "I can't see any value in not knowing a place. You have to have it. Otherwise you are drifting. You remain at loose ends and you're always searching without ever knowing where you are or what you're coming to. I guess the background, the heritage of Native American people at least offers this opportunity to have a place."

History of the Acoma Pueblo includes; "They say that the earth was formed when the Great Father Uchtsiti, Lord of the Sun, hurled a clot of his own blood into the heavens. In the soil of this new world, he set germinating the souls of two sisters, the Corn Mothers, who were raised to maturity by a spirit called, Thought Woman. When the time was ripe, Thought Woman gave the two sisters baskets filled with seeds and showed them the way to the earth's surface. Corn was the first thing they planted. They learned to cultivate and harvest it, to grind it and cook it, and to make daily offerings of cornmeal and pollen to their father, Uchtsiti. These lessons, the Acomans would practice every day of their lives." ( [|www.manataka.org]) "We planted corn one Spring at Acu- we planted several times but this one particular time I remember the soft damp sand in my hand." ( 8-12)

To determine a critical theory, we can ask these questions of Ortiz' poem, "My Father's Song"; is Ortiz telling us a story to explain the importance of the earth in his poem? Is "My Father's Song" specifically about one father, all fathers or the Great Father Uchtsiti?

I feel that this poem is a direct representation of the beautiful longing for appreciation of our land and animals and all it has brought us along with respect for the father that teaches us. "Very gently, he scooped tiny pink animals into the palm of his hand and told me to touch them. We took them to the edge of the field and put them in the shade of a sand moist clod. I remember the very softness of cool and warm sand and tiny alive mice and my father saying things." ( 18-26)

**Works Cited and Consulted**
Brown, James S., and Scott D. Yarbrough, __A Practical Introduction to Literary Study,__ Upper Saddle River, NJ Pearson 2005

Simon J. Ortiz, "My Father's Song" 1976

Manataka American Indian Council, "Acoma Brief History" 2009 []

__Online Dictionary; Reference__, Dictionary.com, LLC. 2009 [|http://www.dictionary.com]

Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, The 19 Pueblos, Acoma Indians, 2009 []

Gale Literary Database, www.galenet.galegroup.com