There are many methods to develop interesting and educative Indigenous stories, and the use of metaphors in poems is probably the most common literary technique. While reading the passage from Marilyn Dumont’s “With Second Sight, She Pushes,” it is hard not to notice a number of metaphors. Indigenous literature, namely poems, is built on metaphors to help the reader learn the power of this culture and the intention to connect the legacy of humans and nature. The author compares “petal and leaf” “from rich root to sprouting” with “her children”.
This metaphor is strong in the poem as it represents the power of bonding between parents and children, like leaves are related to the tree. As well as a tree is damaged and concerned about its leaf falling off, the same way parents think about their children and hope that one day they can be ready for their independent paths. The metaphor of “beadwork” is also integral in this passage because it is not only a process when beads are united into something beautiful and meaningful but an interpretation of the Métis lifestyle. Indigenous people pay painstaking attention to parent-child relationships and family norms respected in their communities. All these metaphors and comparisons influence the reader and provoke positive emotions and attitudes toward nature and generation differences.