"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.
"Facing It"by Yusef Komunyakaa
Komuyakaa stands at the memorial realizing that is more that it appears; it is not just cold stone, but something he identifies with on a more deep and profound level. The figurative meaning of this line is that he is looking past himself, getting lost in the many names that he sees and loses himself in his own head thinking about them. Metaphorically, the man is accepting the fact that the names will remain on the wall and he is facing the fact that his friend is gone, and so are all the people on that wall. The impact the memories and the memorial have on him are evident when he describes his emotional experience first seeing the 58,022 names. Both of these styles of writing utilize enjambment. War and violence leave a lasting impact on people, especially soldiers.
Facing It by Yusef Komunyakaa
The overall message of the poem is to find empathy to learn and grow, so many young lives were lost during the Vietnam War, this song was able to combat all who thought it was right to rob this young men; some even younger than 19, of their life, their choices. Summary My black face fades, hiding inside the black granite. Relating my three images to the poems theme, people often deny reality and want to go back in time and change it. Facing It involves a wall memorial, engraved on the wall are names of deceased veterans. Yusef Komunyakaa is an American poet who has served for the army as well. Owen wrote this poem to express the damage done through war towards the humanity of the soldiers and men involved; he evokes empathy in the readers using techniques such as war imagery and personification. The narrator is haunted by the experience of killing another man.
Yusef Komunyakaa: “Facing It†by Robin Ekiss
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. Even though Amir does some courageous things later it is Hassan who shows courage throughout the whole book and ultimately in the end is how he dies. The poem "Facing it" by Yusef Komunyakaa allows us the readers to see what happen during and after the war, and what mentally goes through one 's mind in terms of how one copes with the war and how one deals with their mental breakdown during and after the war. In the poem "Facing it" by Yusef Komunyakaa the title gives it away, he is basically facing the past though he's looking at a black granite wall. Analysis The speaker is very sure of his identity, but later on, he thinks of it as a facade over which a few questions are raised as soon as he reaches the memorial.
Facing It by Yusef Komunyakaa: Imagery, Symbolism and...
The metaphorical meaning is that as he is looking into the memorial, he is trying to hide his feelings from being at the memorial. The metaphorical meaning is that he their physically but he might feel as if he should be on the granite wall too. The poem addresses acceptance and guilt. The next two lines are a prime example of the choppy phrasing that is characteristic of this poem. The metaphorical meaning of this quote is that when he looks into the memorial and his face blends in, he feels that he is one with the soldiers that he has fought with. What is the meaning behind Facing It by Yusef Komunyakaa? He will always be stuck in the past because you can never let that experience go, all the images, sounds, laughs, tears, everything he will always have flashbacks but now at this wall he is remembering all his friends that died along the way, that is no longer with him, now hes maybe like why am i alive still and they are not. It has literal meanings and figurative meanings.
