He served a tour of duty in vietnam, where he was also a writer and the managing editor for the military. In the poem facing it by yusef komunyakaa, the author uses first person narration, metaphor, simile, images of light and darkness, personification, allusion and word connotation in order to convey to his detached audience the intimate. Facing it by yusef komunyakaa what lies within the text. The poem is inspired from the experiences of the poet during the vietnam war, where he worked as a correspondent and managing editor of a. Yusef komunyakaa writes movingly about his vietnam war. It explores the war experience of komunyakaa, which reflects on the poem that he has written in retrospect on the vietnam war. Yusef komunyakaa born april 29, 1941 is an american poet who teaches at new york university and is a member of the fellowship of southern writers. A summary and analysis of yusef komunyakaas facing it this post brings to you a summary and analysis of the poem facing it by yusef komunyakaa. Several years following the vietnam war, yusef komunyakaa, being a vietnam survivor himself, writes the poem, facing it, allowing his emotions to resurface while he views the vietnam memorial. A primary tool that yusef komunyakaa uses to interconnect his emotions are imagery. I turn that wayim inside 10 the vietnam veterans memorial again, depending on the light to make a difference. It is the second poem written by komunyakaa about vietnam.
Analysis of facing it by yusef komunyakaa essay example. My black face fadeshiding inside the black granite. From 1969 to 1970, komunyakaa served in vietnam as a correspondent and managing editor for the military newspaper southern cross, work that earned him a bronze star. In the poem it states i go down the 58,022 names, halfexpecting to find my own in letters like smoke. Especially, when these events are directly related to person, the memory reproduces every second of what happened. William faulkner prize from the universite rennes, the thomas forcade award, the hanes poetry prize, fellowships from the fine arts work center in provincetown, the louisiana arts council, and. A summary and analysis of yusef komunyakaas facing it. The use of figurative language in facing it by yusef. My clouded reflection eyes me like a bird of prey, the profile of night slanted against morning. Follow links to writing ideas, teaching tips, and a video of the poet reading at the dodge poetry festival brief introduction by garrison keillor, 1. In the poem facing it by yusef komunyakaa has lot of descriptive imagery stanzas that make you feel as if you are really there. For further information on his life and works, see clc, volume 86. Yusef komunyakaa grew up in the deep south during the dawn of the civil rights movement.
Nostalgic memories in yusef komunyakaas facing it essay. In this video segment from poetry everywhere, komunyakaa reads his poem, facing it at the dodge poetry festival. In the poem facing it by american author yusef komunyakaa, the author uses metaphor, imagery, and symbolism in order to express to his audience the close experience of making his journey to the vietnam war veterans memorial in washington, dc. Facing it by yusef komunyakaa speaks of one mans reaction to seeing the vietnam veterans memorial in washington, d. The ever so controversial vietnam conflict, also known as the vietnam war. C to basically remember and honor his friends who he has lost because of the war. Facing it by yusef komunyakaa produced for k12 educators, teach this poem features one poem a week from our online poetry. Remote work advice from the largest allremote company. Yusef komunyakaa is a senior faculty member in the nyu creative writing program. Komunyakaa has said facing it influenced the other poems of the collection in which it was. Yusef komunyakaa was born on 29 april 1947 in bogalusa, louisiana. Usually at the helipadi see them stumbledanceacross the hot asphalt. There are no numbers because the devices seemed to interconnect in my mind. With the point of view being the war veterans, the woman is a representation of revealing his truths as her uncovering herself is the symbolization because.
Facing it by yusef komunyakaa the creators conscience. One of komunyakaas most frequently anthologized poems, facing it was first published in his collection dien cai dau, 1988. In the poem nude interrogation by yusef komunyakaa, portrays a woman named angelica who nudes herself in front of a war veteran man. Submitted by elaine magliaro, weekend contributor yusef komunyakaa, the author of the poem facing it, was born in bogalusa, louisiana on april 29, 1947. Facing it, by yusef komunyakaa talks about a war which most, if not all americans are familiar with. This one i have explicated differently than the previous posts. His subject matter ranges from the black general experience. Yusef komunyakaas libretto, testimony, and the humanity of charlie parker select bibliography memories and the vietnam war experience in yusef komunyakaas dien cai dau biography about facing it the poetry of yusef komunyakaa.
Thus, they return home with the cumbersome burden of the nostalgic horrors that they have endured. A vietnam veteran, yusef komunyakaa faces his past whilst visiting the vietnam war memorial in washington dc. Though he spent much of his tour of duty in the field, witnessing combat and reporting. Both of these styles of writing utilize enjambment. I turn that wayim inside the vietnam veterans memorial. Noor nabulsi professor forrester arhu1580 92518 the use of figurative language in facing it by yusef komunyakaa in the poem titled facing it, poet yusef komunyakaa conveys his intimate experience as an african american veteran visiting the vietnam veterans memorial in washington, dc. Connell 8 october 20 komunyakaas poems of sorrow and guilt yusef komunyakaa was born in 1947, in bogalusa, louisiana. Start studying facing it, yusef komunyakaa, 101810, intro to lit. Analysis of facing it by yusef komunyakaa cruel and terrible events forever leave a mark on our memory. Facing it by yusef komunyaka by danilsa ynfante on prezi. The exsoldier finds himself staring his past in the face. The favorite poem project a partnership among boston university, the library of congress and other organizations with major funding from the national endowment from the arts and the carnegie corporation of new york. Unfortunately, humanity fully cognized the term of war. Author visual imagery metaphors flashbacks allusion vernacular symbol facing it 1947present born in louisiana.
I turn that wayim inside the vietnam veterans memorial again, depending on the light to make a. He has published nine books of poetry and teaches at princeton university. My clouded reflection eyes me like a bird of prey, the. If you need a fast decision, inquiries journal offers expedited processing of your submission for a small fee. The following entry presents information from 1989 through 2001 on the life and career of komunyakaa. The it in komunyakaas poem refers both to the war and the black granite of. The author relates that the poem allows the poet to see his own mortality clearly in the tombstonelike face of the vietnam veterans. Facing it my black face fades, poet yusef komunyakaa first received wide recognition following the 1984 publication of copacetic, a collection of poems built from colloquial speech which demonstrated his incorporation of jazz influences. Fourteen years after the vietnam war, veteran and contemporary poet yusef komunyakaa wrote about facing the vietnam veterans memorial wall and the memories and images the wall evoked. Imagery and symbols in facing it by yusef komunyakaa. Facing it by yusef komunyakaa my black face fades, hiding inside the black granite. The poem begins with the speaker facing the black granite wall of the memorial.
Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Facing it by yusef komunyakaa that english teacher. Yusef komunyakaa yusef komunyakaa poems best poems. Yusef komunyakaa speaks in a gravelly southern baritone, tinged with a cajun flavor that reflects his childhood years in louisiana. What does the poem facing it by yusef komunyakaa mean. He is a man who chooses his words carefully, splicing his speech with long silences, until his conversation resembles something close to a jazz riff very fitting for this acclaimed poet who says oral language is our first music, and the body is an amplifier. Facing it by yusef komunyakaa poems academy of american poets. The son of a carpenter, komunyakaa has said that he was first alerted to the power of language through his grandparents, who were church people. Born in bogalusa, louisiana in 1947, yusef komunyakaa was the first black man to win a pulitzer prize for poetry 1994. First, the title is a clear summary of yusef komunyakaas poem.
I turn this waythe stone lets me go i turn that wayim inside speaker vs. When was the last time you were a window, and how did it. The poem is presented as 31 lines which create one continuous stanza. A vietnam veteran turned poet, yusef komunyakaa, writes about such an instance in his poem facing it.
Komunyakaa began writing in 1973, after achieving his bachelors degree university of colorado springs. Analysis of poem facing it by yusef komunyakaa owlcation. Using poetry to teach close reading and powerful writing. Fonts facing it by yusef komunyakaa analysis biography. Komunyakaa served in vietnam and was discharged from the army in 1966, during which time he wrote for army newspaper southern cross. It is a reflection on komunyakaas first visit to the vietnam veterans memorial. An essay or paper on use of narration in the poem, facing it. Komunyakaa received the 2007 louisiana writer award for his enduring contribution to the poetry world.
Boston university, 236 bay state road, boston, ma 02215 email. The poem begins with the reflection of komunyakaas face dissolving into the polished black stone as he stares into it for the first time. In the poem, facing it by yusef komunyakaa, the author who was a veteran in the vietnam war is now visiting the vietnam memorial in washington d. My black face fades, hiding inside the black granite. The article offers poetry criticism of the poem facing it, by yusef komunyakaa. He served in the united states army from 1969 to 1970 as a correspondent, and as managing editor of the southern cross during the vietnam war, earning him a bronze star. Yusef komunyakaa 1947 american poet and author of essays, interviews, and commentaries. Yusef komunyakaa bio, facts, family famous birthdays. He is a recipient of the 1994 kingsley tufts poetry award, for neon vernacular and the 1994 pulitzer prize for poetry. The following entry provides an overview of komunyakaas career through 1994. Yusef komunyakaa stands out through the manner in which his rootedness in a nowmainstreamed jazz and blues helps to render him more immediately accessiblemore. Facing it is a poem by american poet and author yusef komunyakaa. Facing it by yusef komunyakaa hyptertext of the poem with an audio file of the poet reading 1.
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