Being composed by a member of American Indian Culture ,Ray Young Bear, the poem
‘Grandmother’ is a protest poem as a search of American Indian’s search of identity. The poet has depicted the picture of his grandmother as loving and inspiring grandmother but he had his grandmother no more with him when he composed it. The poet appears to be strong giving the cultural image to his grandmother.
Ray young Bear has imagination of having sensual of his grandmother which is supported by the memory of his past life with her. He imagines that he would be able to identify the shape of his grandmother from mike away if he saw it because she would be dressed up with purple scarf with a plastic shopping bag at her hands. Similarly, he would easily know the hands of his grandmother on his head if she touched him because her hands her hands would be warm( loving) and damp(fresh). At the same time, her hands would have the smelt of roots that be loved very much. Probably,It was due to their profession of being involved in processing medicinal herbs.Likewise, If he heard the voice coming from the rock ( her grave) he would know it very quickly because her words were imprinted into his mind and they would always be flowing inside him like the sparkles from the stirring, fire at night.
Hence, the poet has expressed his deep respect and love towards his grandmother even after her death. It shows real pictures of their relationship. Furthermore, he has reflected the cultural values of merquaki culture with the image of his grandmother as wearing purple scarf, carrying plastic bag, having the smell of roots, buried in the grave and purely run-tic image of sleeping fire at night.
Aakash website 