Prayer Animals

In the poem "Prayer Animals", it was interesting how Alexie chose to compare the US to a savannah setting. This seemed to serve as a metaphor particularly for the history between the white and Native Americans, especially as he is comparing himself to a gazelle. In the savannah, the gazelle is one of the more targeted animals, often under attack and towards the bottom of the food chain, for the benefit of those higher on the food chain. In the past, Native Americans have been put on a similar level in society, with many instances of losing land, being put into reservations, and targeted by the US on many occasions for their benefit. One particular line of the poem that caught my attention was "I have 355 degree vision.", because that is a somewhat unusual degree measurement, especially in terms of sight. This is implying that there is a small fraction in which he cannot see, that ten degrees that might just make the difference. There is just that small chance that he does not survive. If the "hunter" were to be within that ten degrees in which he cannot see, then his life is lost. The last line of this poem was a bit confusing however, with the question of the hunter using his teeth or his rifle. Overall, this poem seemed to sum up the feelings and history for the Native American perspective in their history with the US.