Poetry Analysis Drop Box Essay
“Facing It” By Yusef Komunyakaa
This poem, “Facing It”, is about the reaction of a man after he saw the Vietnam Veterans memorial in Washington D.C that brought about a lot of the memories about the Vietnam War. The poet uses rich imagery in describing his ambivalent emotions towards the Vietnam War, where he was a veteran. Through imagery and metaphoric language, he can reflect the sad and confusing feelings he felt when he visited the Vietnam memorial. Imagery is used in this poem to emphasize the poem’s central themes. The major themes of the poem are life and death, survival and loss. Throughout the poem, the speaker talks about the soldiers’ sacrifices involved in the Vietnam War. Imagery helps the reader understand the experiences brought about by this war, painting this experience to the audience, enabling the reader to visualize this agony and the bad experiences that the soldiers endured. “Black face fades” is an abstract diction that makes the audience eager for the message the poet intends to pass (Komunyakaa, & said I wouldn’t, 1996). Poetry Analysis Drop Box Essay .We realize that the speaker is a black American. Since the speaker was a veteran, he gives first-hand information regarding the experience of how the war looked like. Using his experience provides this piece with more strength to the impacts on the soldiers. Therefore, the poem is very effective as the readers’ can see the tribulations through the speaker’s eyes.
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POEM OUTLINE
TITLE: The Vietnam War
THESIS: Most Americans are familiar with the Vietnam War. This war had various effects on the United States; among them was the soldiers’ death and hurting the American economy.
INTRODUCTION: The poem looks at just the effects of the war on a young black soldier struggling to cope with life after the Vietnam war.
1ST BODY PARAGRAPH: the soldiers who survived this war had a callous time
Support: the emotional and mental turmoil of the survivors
Topic sentence: “I’m stone. I’m flesh”. This illustrates a mix of feelings (Komunyakaa, & said I wouldn’t, 1996). The first part shows a strong person, and the second one, a vulnerable person who can easily e carried by feelings of sadness. Poetry Analysis Drop Box Essay .
2ND BODY PARAGRAPH: experiences of how the war looked like and what the soldiers faced
Support: booby traps killed the soldiers
Topic sentence; “I touch the name Andrew Johnson; I see the booby traps white flash.” This is an illustration of his blurred memory, remembering how death occurred like a flash.
3RD BODY PARAGRAPH: self-reflection regarding his wearisome experiences during this period.
Support: The poet is trying to express his growing sense of guilt, shame and survivor sickness, illustrating survivor trauma
Topic sentence: The speaker searches his name on the rock “like smoke”.
References
Komunyakaa, Y., & said I wouldn’t, I. (1996). Facing it. Streetfare Journal. Retrieved from: Analysis of Poem “Facing It” by Yusef Komunyakaa –
TITLE: The Vietnam War
THESIS: Most Americans are familiar with the Vietnam War. This war had various effects on the United States; among them was the soldiers’ death and hurting the American economy.
INTRODUCTION: The poem looks at just the effects of the war on a young black soldier struggling to cope with life after the Vietnam war.
1ST BODY PARAGRAPH: the soldiers who survived this war had a callous time
Support: the emotional and mental turmoil of the survivors
Topic sentence: “I’m stone. I’m flesh”. This illustrates a mix of feelings (Komunyakaa, & said I wouldn’t, 1996). The first part shows a strong person, and the second one, a vulnerable person who can easily e carried by feelings of sadness.
2ND BODY PARAGRAPH: experiences of how the war looked like and what the soldiers faced
Support: booby traps killed the soldiers
Topic sentence; “I touch the name Andrew Johnson; I see the booby traps white flash.” This is an illustration of his blurred memory, remembering how death occurred like a flash.
3RD BODY PARAGRAPH: self-reflection regarding his wearisome experiences during this period.
Support: The poet is trying to express his growing sense of guilt, shame and survivor sickness, illustrating survivor trauma
Topic sentence: The speaker searches his name on the rock “like smoke”.
References
Komunyakaa, Y., & said I wouldn’t, I. (1996). Facing it. Streetfare Journal. Retrieved from: Analysis of Poem “Facing It” by Yusef Komunyakaa – Poetry Analysis Drop Box Essay.
