Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"At Navajo Monument Valley Tribal School," by Sherman Alexie, crafts a unique narrative that fuses the traditional with the modern, the tribal with the American, and nature with civilization. The poem takes place on a football field that is inextricably linked to the surrounding mesa, framing a story of sport, youth, and cultural identity.

The poem begins by blending the natural landscape with the constructed environment: "the football field rises / to meet the mesa." This meeting symbolizes the intersection between indigenous culture and modern American life. Football, generally considered a quintessentially American sport, here becomes a space where "Indian boys / gallop across the grass," the word "gallop" conjuring images of horses and suggesting a connection to nature and tradition. This intersectionality is a testament to the resilience and adaptability of indigenous cultures.

The phrase "against the beginnings of their body" can be read as a nod to the young age of the boys, who are not just playing a game but are also in a formative stage of life, a time of physical and emotional growth. Their community, too, is watching them grow "larger / in the small parts of the world." This line captures the tension between the limitations imposed on Native American communities-sometimes seen as "small parts of the world"-and the unlimited potential of their youth.

A particularly powerful image comes in the form of "unbroken horses" that "gather to watch their sons." These horses serve as metaphors for the untamed spirit and natural freedom that still exist within the community, a spirit that is passed on to the younger generation. Notably, "Everyone is the quarterback," defying the stereotypical divisions and specializations that are often present in organized sport. This is not a competition dictated by an outsider; there is "no thin man in a big hat / writing down all the names / in two columns: winners and losers." The absence of such a figure resists colonial undertones and emphasizes the egalitarian and communal nature of the game.

The poem introduces a temporal shift with the phrase "This is the eternal football game," suggesting that this is a timeless struggle or celebration-"Indians versus Indians." It evokes the cyclical nature of life and struggle in Native American history, unbound by the win-loss records of modern sport.

As the poem concludes, the "eighth-grade girls' track team" arrives, their "thin and brown legs echoing / wild horses, wild horses, wild horses." The repetition serves as a chant, linking the girls to the legacy of their culture and land, just as the boys were linked through their game of football. Their entrance can be seen as a statement about the continuation of cultural practices, traditions, and spirit through the youth, who carry within them echoes of "wild horses"-symbols of freedom, wildness, and indomitable spirit.

In summary, Alexie's "At Navajo Monument Valley Tribal School" offers a rich tapestry that intricately weaves themes of youth, sport, cultural identity, and the natural world. It challenges the reader to view the football field not just as a stage for sport, but as a nexus where tradition and modernity meet, clash, and ultimately coexist.

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