Comparing Brian Turner's 16 Iraqi Policemen And Autopsy

In writing of his own experience in the Iraq War, Turner creates a style of writing, which is seen as a witness of war in poetry. Brian Turner’s “16 Iraqi Policemen”, and Autopsy is so startling and it is able to leap off the pages and have a grip onto the reader where it refuses to let go. Adding to this, these poems are able to give a taste of what it was like being apart of the Iraqi war, and what it was like to be a bystander. At times Brian Turner is brilliant with how he is able to connect the reader with the use of images, religion, and sound in order to make the reader feel as if they are in the room during the autopsy or are on the side of the road when looking at the gapping hole the explosion caused. Although, “16 Iraqi Policemen”, and “Autopsy” are two different poems where two different scenarios are taking place Brain Turner has a creative way with the use of imagery in order to make both of these poems into a sequel to show the true image of destruction the Iraqi war really had. For instance, "16 Iraqi Policemen," …show more content…
Moving on to the next poem Autopsy Turner, yet again, puts the reader in a position as if they are in the room as the doctor performs the autopsy on the individual. Adding to this, when reading this poem, Brian Turner is able to make the imagery so precise with every word where the reader is able to imagine the scene as if they were apart of it. The reader is able to make a connection to the poem 16 Iraqi Policemen in the first couple stanzas of the poem of Autopsy. For instance, the doctor that is about to perform the autopsy turns on a song Black Wind Blowing, by Woody Guthrie. The line that Turner picks out is interesting “there’s a long black cloud hanging in the sky, honey” as if he is referencing the explosion, and the dark cloud of death that came through taking sixteen