Poetry Analysis: Facing It by Yusef Komuny - Literature review Example

Poetry Analysis: Facing It by Yusef Komuny The poem “Facing It” is written by Yusef Komunyakaa and circles around the distressful and disheartening emotions of the Vietnam Veterans. Komunyakaa portrays himself as one of the veterans while he sees the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall in Washington DC. This poem is loaded with a historical theme and setting using Syntax, Archetype and Mood to support the structure and intention of the poem. ("The Memories of a Veteran") Komunyakaa uses Syntax when he reveals immense and deeply felt emotions which he himself is unable to contain.

“I said I wouldn’t. Dammit, no tears” (Komunyakaa). This reveals the intensity of emotions that overwhelmed him as he stood and scrutinized the names engraved on the wall. The use of Syntax increases the impression of these emotions on the audience by multifold. Secondly, Archetype can be observed in numerous places in the poem. “Names shimmer on a woman’s blouse but then she walks away, the names stay on the wall” (Komunyakaa) and “In the black mirror a woman’s trying to erase names: No, she’s brushing a boy’s hair” (Komunyakaa) are two examples.

In both these excerpts, deeply meaningful concoctions can be seen. In both cases, Komunyakaa is severely engrossed in his memories and the Veteran wall that any image from the real life seems a part of his painful discourse, and it takes him a moment to realize the difference between reality and memories. Lastly, the Mood of the poem is set in tragedy and remorse. “I go down the 58,022 names half-expecting to find my own in letters like smoke” (Komunyakaa). This reflects the disturbed and depressed state of mind and similarly miserable anticipations by the author.

This verse distinctively reflects suicidal intentions. Yusef Komunyakaa has recollected a few of his memories from the Vietnam Veteran times. He used disordered sentence construction, deep sentimental connotations and highly catastrophic emotional setting to adequately deliver the meaning and image of those times. He successfully portrays the picture of the disaster by the use of the aforementioned elements.ReferencesKomunyakaa, Yusef. “Facing It”. Streetfare Journal: The Vietnam Series 9(1); 1996. Print.WriteWork contributors.

"The Memories of a Veteran" writework.com. WriteWork.com, 01 Mar. 2006. Web. 09 Feb. 2012.