In “Fiddler Crab,” Jacobsen draws a connection between herself as a human being and the fiddler crab she observes on a beach. Her poem intricately ties humanity to all living things through shared suffering, struggle, and death. This commonality leads Jacobsen to assume that all living things share the same god. Research Native American beliefs and the ways in which their observations connect humans to animals. How do the beliefs of Native Americans mirror or oppose Jacobsen's understanding?

Select an animal that you feel mimics your life and write a poem describing the animal, its movements and activities in the world, and its relation to you. Beyond simple observation of the animal, try to draw similarities between the animal and your physical manifestation as well as any connectivity you might detect about the animal's essence and your own being. On the other...