In Yusef Komunyakaa’s poem “Facing It,” he writes about his poignant experience visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in a way that suggests he is perhaps regretful of his time as a soldier and remorseful as a survivor. Komunyakaa explains to the readers the inner workings of his brain and how permanent war is not only in his mind but in the reality of the death toll. In order to accomplish giving a detailed and understandable explanation to the audience, Komunyakaa uses techniques such as imagery and vivid description, simile, metaphor, and flashback. In “Facing It,” Komunyakaa focuses on figurative language to give the audience a more connected experience while reading. Descriptive details within the poem help the audience to “be in Komunyakaa’s
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Komunyakaa early on describes the difficulty he has resisting the wave of sadness that comes over him saying, “I said I wouldn’t dammit: No tears. I’m stone. I’m flesh,” (lines 3-5). Later on, the audience receives a firsthand experience from Komunyakaa’s time in the Vietnam War. He writes, “I touch the name Andrew Johnson; I see the booby trap’s white flash,” (lines 17-18). This describes how those viewing the memorial, including himself, wish they could bring loved ones back to life. In death, Andrew Johnson reminds Komunyakaa of how close he came to being one of the names on the wall and how lucky he is to be alive. His life “flashed” before his …show more content…
Komunyakaa uses his articulate diction and simplifies it for the audience in this use of figurative language. He says, “I go 58,022 names, half-expecting to find my own in letters like smoke,” (lines 11-13). This simile compares his possibility of \not being alive to going up like smoke. The audience can understand this more because going “up like smoke” is commonly known as disappearing into thin air, and in this case leaving the earth and dying. Komunyakaa also uses metaphors to make comparisons with things an audience member may see on a daily basis writing, “In the black mirror a woman’s trying to erase names: No, she’s brushing a boy’s hair,” (lines 29-31). By using this metaphor, Komunyakaa compares the memorial to a mirror in which the audience already knows he can see his reflection. He also describes how a woman, possibly touching her son’s name, is trying to erase him from the wall and bring him back to life, but in reality she is remembering the times we she used to brush his
Komunyakaa early on describes the difficulty he has resisting the wave of sadness that comes over him saying, “I said I wouldn’t dammit: No tears. I’m stone. I’m flesh,” (lines 3-5). Later on, the audience receives a firsthand experience from Komunyakaa’s time in the Vietnam War. He writes, “I touch the name Andrew Johnson; I see the booby trap’s white flash,” (lines 17-18). This describes how those viewing the memorial, including himself, wish they could bring loved ones back to life. In death, Andrew Johnson reminds Komunyakaa of how close he came to being one of the names on the wall and how lucky he is to be alive. His life “flashed” before his …show more content…
Komunyakaa uses his articulate diction and simplifies it for the audience in this use of figurative language. He says, “I go 58,022 names, half-expecting to find my own in letters like smoke,” (lines 11-13). This simile compares his possibility of \not being alive to going up like smoke. The audience can understand this more because going “up like smoke” is commonly known as disappearing into thin air, and in this case leaving the earth and dying. Komunyakaa also uses metaphors to make comparisons with things an audience member may see on a daily basis writing, “In the black mirror a woman’s trying to erase names: No, she’s brushing a boy’s hair,” (lines 29-31). By using this metaphor, Komunyakaa compares the memorial to a mirror in which the audience already knows he can see his reflection. He also describes how a woman, possibly touching her son’s name, is trying to erase him from the wall and bring him back to life, but in reality she is remembering the times we she used to brush his