Analysis/Interpretation:
Haiku/Poem #1:
Apple of the book
Bluebird in the desert
The lion ate the grasshopper
Analyses:
“Apple of the book”:
1. Theologically, apple may represent the Garden of Eden, the Tree of Knowledge, the Fall of Man, Creationism, etc, with “the book” referring to the Hebrew/Christian Bible.
2. Scientifically, apple may represent Isaac Newton’s theory of Gravity with “the book” referring to a scientific textbook and the density or weight of information to be digested.
3. Academically, apple may refer to Teaching in that a student may give a teacher an apple, and “the book” may refer to Learning in general, as it provides information to the learner.
4. Apple may refer to the “apple of one’s eye” as applied to preference or infatuation by the eye of the beholder which may entail a preference of Creationist theories over Scientific theories (or Scientific over Creationist) to explain human existence.
“Bluebird in the desert”:
1. The desert may be considered an uninhabitable wasteland, and yet the bluebird is found “in” the desert, but not necessarily “inhabiting” the desert, and is perhaps passing through on a migration route with the direction dependent on the season (south for winter, north for summer).
2. Blue may be associated with the color of sadness. A desert may be associated with the Exodus of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt. Perhaps these birds were blue/sad to have to leave their homes, or blue/sad from extensively wandering in the harshness of the desert environment en route to Canaan.
3. As participants noted during Factory Run 1 production, the Mountain Bluebird is the state bird of Nevada, and the mention of the bluebird may refer to daily life in the desert, an organism in its natural habitat, survival instinct, and the will to live.
“The lion ate the grasshopper”:
1. The lion is considered the “King of the Jungle.” Usage of lion may refer to authority, government, the system, the machine, or any natural or synthetic mechanism for controlling the population. The lion may be associated with bravery, power, and even laziness, but the collective noun for a group of lions is a “pride” of lions, and “pride” is also synonymous with the Seven Deadly Sins in the Hebrew/Christian Bible.
2. In reference to the television show “Kung Fu,” and in relation to some Eastern philosophies, “grasshopper” refers to a fledgling apprentice with much to learn from his master. “Grasshopper’s” name was actually “Caine,” and his story is similar to the Biblical story of Cain and Able (the sons of Adam and Eve from the Biblical creation stories) in that “Kung Fu Caine” also became exiled after committing murder.
3. To eat is to consume. The bluebird may eat the grasshopper, and perhaps the lion may eat the bluebird, as the food-chain becomes represented with insects at the bottom, and large predatory mammals at the top. However, the grasshopper is a locust and bringer of the Plagues to ancient Egypt
An Interpretation:
From a Creationist (Apple) perspective, the Bible (Book) details the story of Egypt (Lion) surviving the Locust (Grasshopper) plagues as the Israelites (Bluebirds) made their Exodus through the harsh wilderness (Desert).
