Q. Do the Sasquatch Poems suggest that Sasquatch is real, or is it more of a metaphor?
Does Sasquatch Poems Suggest That Sasquatch is Real?
Sherman Alexie’s Sasquatch Poems presents Sasquatch in a way that makes the reader question whether it is a real creature or something more symbolic. The poems describe Sasquatch with details that suggest both physical existence and deeper meaning.
The way Alexie writes about Sasquatch leaves room for different interpretations. Some lines make it seem like Sasquatch is a real being, while others suggest it represents something larger.
Sasquatch as a Real Creature
Some parts of Sasquatch Poems describe Sasquatch as if it is a real living creature. The poems mention details about its body, its movements, and the way it interacts with the world. This makes Sasquatch seem like an actual being that people might see or encounter.
I believe in Sasquatch
just as much as I believe in God
which is not logical
since more people have seen Sasquatch
than have seen God.
This statement treats Sasquatch as something that has been witnessed by humans, which suggests it is real. The comparison to God also raises questions about faith and proof.
Unlike God, Sasquatch supposedly leaves physical evidence behind, making belief in it seem more reasonable.
Another poem describes following Sasquatch’s footprints:
We followed the footprints from the source of the stream
to the place where it emptied into the river.
The mention of footprints gives a concrete image of Sasquatch walking through the land. This detail supports the idea that Sasquatch exists as a living being, leaving marks behind as it moves.
The poems also describe physical traces, such as hair and smell:
We saw its hair snagged on branches ten feet above us.
Its smell was still powerful a full day after it had passed through.
The smell: rotten eggs, sulfur, burned hair, blood, sawdust
pine sap, bat piss, standing water, split granite, sunlight.
The description of Sasquatch’s scent is highly detailed, making it seem like a real presence. If Sasquatch were just a myth, there would be no physical proof, but the mention of hair and a lingering smell suggests an actual creature passing through.
Another poem tells a personal story of a man being chased by Sasquatch:
In the year I was born, a Sasquatch chased N
from Benjamin Lake to Turtle Lake.
N was on horseback
and still barely escaped.
The inclusion of a specific event, along with the fact that “N refuses to speak of this event now,” adds to the idea that Sasquatch is real but mysterious. If Sasquatch were just a myth, there would be no need to avoid discussing it.
These details match common descriptions of Sasquatch in Native American legends and modern sightings. By including these familiar details, Alexie makes it possible to believe that Sasquatch is real.
Sasquatch is More Than Just an Animal
While the poems physically describe Sasquatch, they also suggest that it might represent something more. The way Alexie writes about Sasquatch makes it feel like it stands for ideas about identity, survival, or being misunderstood.
Although the poems describe Sasquatch in physical terms, they also suggest that Sasquatch represents something deeper. The way Alexie writes about Sasquatch makes it feel like it stands for mystery, lost history, or the struggles of Indigenous people.
One poem directly connects Sasquatch to mystery:
Mystery is a series of large footprints
leading us from the edge of the forest
to the center of the desert.
Here, Sasquatch is linked to something unknown. The idea of footprints leading from a forest to a desert suggests a journey or a hidden truth.
The mention of an “Anasazi pot” in the same poem connects Sasquatch to ancient history. The Anasazi were an Indigenous people who mysteriously disappeared, and the Hopi people claim to know what happened to them.
By linking Sasquatch to the Anasazi, Alexie suggests that Sasquatch could be connected to lost knowledge or forgotten history.
Another poem questions whether Sasquatch behaves the way humans assume:
Because we are human
we assign human emotions to Sasquatch.
When it chased N from lake to lake
we assume Sasquatch was angry.
The poem then challenges this assumption:
How would our hearts change
if we discovered Sasquatch was running
just for the sake of the run, the burn
in the leg muscles and lungs?
This suggests that Sasquatch might not be an animal with human-like intentions but instead represents something else. The idea that humans impose emotions on Sasquatch could mean that people create stories around it rather than discovering the truth.
Native American Culture
Alexie’s poems also connect Sasquatch to Native American culture. In many Indigenous traditions, Sasquatch is not just an animal but a spirit or guardian.
Some tribés believe that Sasquatch is a being that exists between worlds, watching over the land but avoiding human contact.
In Sasquatch Poems, some moments reflect this idea. Some poems describe Sasquatch as being wise or knowing things that others do not.
This makes it seem like more than just a creature hiding in the woods. Instead, it feels like a figure that holds knowledge or represents something greater.
Indigenous Identity
Throughout Sasquatch Poems, Alexie connects Sasquatch to Indigenous identity and tradition. One poem explains why these stories matter to the Spokane people:
We tell these Sasquatch stories
because we are Spokane Indian.
We are Spokane
because our grandparents were Spokane.
Here, Sasquatch is not just a creature—it is a part of cultural identity. The poem explains that Sasquatch stories have been passed down for generations.
This suggests that believing in Sasquatch is about more than proving its existence; it is about maintaining a connection to the past.
Another poem states:
Those who say ‘Bigfoot’
are those who don’t believe.
This line suggests that the name Sasquatch holds a deeper meaning than Bigfoot, which is often used by non-Native people.
It reflects how Indigenous culture has been altered or dismissed by outsiders. The poem implies that non-Native people treat Sasquatch as a joke, while Indigenous people recognize its importance.
Alexie also compares Sasquatch to religion:
Do you take the bread and wine
because you believe it to be the body and blood?
I do, as other Indians do, too
because that colonial superstition is as beautiful
as any of our indigenous superstitions.
Here, belief in Sasquatch is compared to belief in Christianity. The poem suggests that all cultures have their own beliefs, whether religious or traditional.
This connects to feminism because Indigenous women, like Indigenous men, have had their voices and traditions ignored or replaced by European beliefs.
Just as people argue about whether Sasquatch is real, there are also many false ideas about Indigenous people. This suggests that Sasquatch in the poems may stand for something deeper, like the struggle of Native identity in a world that does not always listen or understand.
Humor and Irony
Alexie often uses humor in his writing, and Sasquatch Poems is no exception. Some lines playfully describe Sasquatch, making it seem like it is part of everyday life.
By mixing humor with the idea of Sasquatch, Alexie makes the reader question whether Sasquatch is meant to be taken seriously or if it represents something else.
One poem imagines Sasquatch doing things that do not fit the usual stories, like playing basketball or living in a city. These images make the reader laugh but also make them think.
The idea of Sasquatch doing human activities suggests that the legend of Sasquatch is not just about a creature in the woods, but about how people create myths and stories.
By using humor, Alexie makes it harder to say for sure whether Sasquatch is real or symbolic. The mix of serious and playful moments makes the poems feel like they could mean different things depending on how the reader interprets them.
Sasquatch as a Reflection of the Reader
One of the most interesting parts of Sasquatch Poems is that it makes the reader question what they believe. If someone reads the poems expecting Sasquatch to be real, they will find details that support that idea.
But if someone reads the poems thinking Sasquatch is symbolic, they will also find evidence for that view.
This is part of what makes Alexie’s writing so engaging. He does not give a clear answer about Sasquatch. Instead, he presents different ideas and lets the reader decide.
In this way, Sasquatch becomes a reflection of the reader’s own beliefs, fears, and understanding of the world.
The idea of Sasquatch being real or not is similar to how people view myths, legends, and history. Some people believe myths contain real events, while others think they are just stories. Alexie’s poems play with this idea, showing how belief is shaped by perspective.
Conclusion
Sherman Alexie’s Sasquatch Poems presents Sasquatch as both a real creature and something more than that. The poems describe Sasquatch with details that make it seem alive, such as its footprints, movement, and appearance.
At the same time, the poems suggest that Sasquatch could represent something deeper, like identity, history, or being misunderstood.
Through humor, irony, and connections to Native American culture, Alexie makes Sasquatch a figure that challenges the reader’s understanding. Whether seen as an actual creature or a symbol, Sasquatch remains something that cannot be fully captured or defined.
By leaving the meaning open, Alexie invites readers to think about what Sasquatch means to them. The poems do not provide a single answer but instead encourage reflection on myths, identity, and the way people see the world.
