"Facing It" is a powerful and poignant poem by Yusef Komunyakaa that explores the aftermath of war and the lasting effects it has on those who have experienced it. The poem is set at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C., where the names of those who died during the Vietnam War are inscribed on a black granite wall.
At the beginning of the poem, the speaker describes his initial reaction to the wall, saying "My black face fades,/hiding inside the black granite." This line suggests that the speaker feels a deep sense of shame and guilt for his own survival, while his comrades are remembered only by their names etched in stone.
As the speaker continues to reflect on the wall, he describes the various emotions and memories that come flooding back to him. He sees the reflections of those who have come to pay their respects, and he remembers the faces of his friends who did not make it home. The speaker also mentions the ghosts of the war that haunt him, saying "I go down the 58,022 names,/half-expecting to find/my own in letters like smoke." This line highlights the devastating impact of the war on the speaker, as he is still struggling to come to terms with his own loss and the loss of those around him.
Despite the pain and trauma that the speaker has experienced, he ultimately finds a sense of healing and closure at the wall. He writes, "I touch the name Andrew Johnson./I see the booby trap's white flash./As I turn, the silver-plated/photo album falls open./All the faces are young./I close my eyes on the wall." This passage suggests that the speaker has come to a place of acceptance and understanding, and is able to find peace by remembering and honoring those who have died.
In conclusion, "Facing It" is a poignant and thought-provoking poem that delves into the lasting effects of war on those who have experienced it. Through the speaker's reflections at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Komunyakaa explores themes of loss, guilt, and healing, ultimately offering a message of hope and resilience in the face of tragedy.
A Summary and Analysis of Yusef Komunyakaa's 'Facing It'
Finally, a last image that he saw would be how he saw the woman trying to erase the names but she was really brushing a boys hair. When he turns one way he sees the wall ending, he looks the other way he sees it rising again. I was a bit aggravated by the cluster of tourist, the several checkpoints, the fact the security at the check points had bad attitudes but the beautiful architecture of the memorial was well worth the visit. Why does the poet almost leave the memorial? He also thought he lost his right arm. He may have actually seen a bird, but right after he sees a plane in the sky. Kurt Vonnegut Conformity In Society 815 Words 4 Pages This shows that the unknown citizen was average.
Facing It by Yusef Komunyakaa
Answer: Alliteration, allusion, antithesis, assonance, consonance, hyperbole, imagery, inversion, enjambment, refrain, rhyme, repetition, simile, oxymoron, metaphor, personification, transfer epithet, etc. The man still remembers his lost friends and this further demonstrates the your dad did what by sophie hannah The second stanza shows his views on war and he shows that the death that occurs is more like slaughter than sacrifice. No matter how much you want someone back, life has to keep going. From interviews and biographical details, we can assume the speaker of the poem is Komunyakaa himself. However, the Vietnam veterans loved it.
Use of Imagery and Figurative Language in “Facing It” by...
Then keep looking around the poem for details such as the structure, sounds, word choice, and any poetic devices. However, the Vietnam Memorial Wall is a thoughtful and powerful tribute to the Vietnam veterans killed in action, as well as those still living, because it emphasizes the individual sacrifice of each soldier. We all looked the same. What is the tone of facing it by Yusef Komunyakaa? Although he has to understand that life goes on and he will have to live with the fact that he lost someone. That people see through him and at him. Komunyakaa wastes no time in loading his poem with themes.
