In grade 11 and trying to understand this poem which the teacher gave very little explanation for, telling to "interpret the poem for yourself" The poem is called Bushed and is written by Earl Birney.

Question

He invented a rainbow but lightning struck it down
shattered it into lake-lap of a mountain
So big his mind slowed when he looked at it

Yet he built a shack on the shore learned to roast porcupine belly and
wore the quills on his hatband

At first he was out with the dawn
whether or it yellowed bright as wood-columbine
or was only a fuzzed moth in a flannel of storm
But he found the mountain was clearly alive
sent messages whizzing down every hot morning
boomed proclamations at noon and spread out
a white guard of goat
before falling asleep on its feet at sundown

When he tried his eyes on the lake ospreys
would fall like valkyries
choosing the cut-throat
He took then to waiting
till the night smoke rose from the boil of sunset

But the moon carved unknown totems
out of lakeshore
owls in beardusky woods derided him
moosehorned cedars circled his swamps and tossed
their antlers up at the stars
then he knew thought the mountain slept the winds
were shaping its peak to an arrowhead
poised

And now he could only
bar himself in and wait
for the the great flint to come singing in his heart.

That's it! very confused as to its meaning. any help would be appreciated.

Answer 1

"...which the teacher gave very little explanation for, telling to 'interpret the poem for yourself'."

Notice -- "interpret the poem for yourself."

So ... here's a way to do that:
1. Read each line or pair of lines; then write what you think those lines mean in your own words.
2. Don't hesitate to look up any words that you don't understand -- http://www.answers.com
3. At the end of each stanza (or group of lines), write up a summary of what those lines are saying.
4. Once you have gone through the whole poem doing these things, read through your own phrasing and words. Then you should be ready to give your own interpretation.

Answer 2

Here are a couple of websites that will give you additional ideas about how to read and interpret a poem:

http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/poetry-explication.html

http://www.uncp.edu/home/canada/work/markport/best/study/poetry.htm