My clouded reflection eyes me like a bird of prey, the profile of night slanted against morning. Identify and discuss the effective use of image, and ... Yusef Komunyakaa (poet) - USA - Poetry International Yusef Komunyakaa's Facing It - 811 Words | Cram Born in Bogalusa, Louisiana in 1947, Yusef Komunyakaa grew up during the Civil Rights movement and later traveled to Vietnam as a correspondent for the US Army. for only $16.05 $11/page. I turn this way--the stone lets me go. Yusef Komunyakaa - Facing It | Genius Yusef Komunyakaa's Poem "facing It" | Researchomatic 2/20/2015 12:11:01 am. Facing It. * Blueprint- 1. He doesnt discriminate with color. I turn that way--I'm inside the Vietnam . Yusef Komunyakaa Reads "Facing It" - YouTube It is a reflection on Komunyakaa's first visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.Komunyakaa served in Vietnam and was discharged from the Army in 1966, during which time he wrote for army newspaper Southern Cross.It is the second poem written by Komunyakaa about Vietnam. yusef komunyakaa's poem, "Facing It," is from his collection, Dien Cai Dau, written in 1988, which deals with the Vietnam War..Name Instructor Course Date "facing it": Point of View..Written in the first person point-of-view, the narrator of "facing it" is Yusef..The poet's point-of-view narrative in "facing it" expresses his confrontation of his own emotions, shows his . Facing It by Yusef Komunyakaa. The poem Facing It by Yusef komunyakaa Essay Example ... Komunyakaa is a recipient of the 1994 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award, for Neon Vernacular and the 1994 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. 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." Komunyakaa began writing poetry in 1973. The names of those lost in the war are engraved on a black granite wall, and the poem relies heavily on the reflections in the granite . He served a tour of duty in Vietnam, where he was also a writer and the managing editor for the military . Komunyakaa won the Pulitzer Prize in 1994 ("Yusef Komunyakaa"). Both of these styles of writing utilize enjambment.The lines cut off in unexpected places and one must move quickly from line to line to follow the narrative. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. Yusef Komunyakaa was born in Bogalusa, Louisiana. A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. I said I wouldn't, dammit: No tears. YUSEF KOMUNYAKAA When was the last time Komunyakaa has composed this poem by alternating between short choppy lines and longer, drawn out phrases. In 1984, Komunyakaa began to reflect on his experiences—although his decision to write about Vietnam wasn't entirely deliberate. 'Facing It' by Yusef Komunyakaa is a 31 line poem that does not adhere to any particular rhyme scheme or strictly metered pattern. Don't waste time Get a verified expert to help you with Essay. I'm flesh. There was always excitement in Georgia. By:Amanda Scoggins. In Komunyakaa's "Facing It", we get an in depth look at the personal casualties and inner conflict set between the veteran and his inability to cope with the memories he is having. The ever so controversial Vietnam Conflict, also known as the Vietnam War. The poem is about the author, a veteran visiting the Vietnam veteran's memorial for the very first time. Photo by Matito. I go down the 58,022 names half-expecting to find my own in letters like smoke. In the poem Facing It, all Vietnam veterans are embraced. The poem starts out with the speaker looking at the memorial "My black face fades, hiding inside the granite." (1), which helps visualize for the audience that the speaker is African American. It was built in 1982 in Washington, DC. Both of these styles of writing utilize enjambment. Analyzing "Facing It" written by :Yusef Komunyakaa. Yusef Komunyakaa. 'Facing It' by Yusef Komunyakaa is a 31 line poem that does not adhere to any particular rhyme scheme or strictly metered pattern. The poet uses rich imagery in describing his ambivalent emotions towards the Vietnam War, where he was a veteran. Yusef Komunyakaa reads his poem "Facing It" about seeing the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial wall in Washington, D.C. through his eyes as a war veteran and contem. Share. "Facing It" is a poem by Yusef Komunyakaa about visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC. About this Poet Yusef Komunyakaa was born in Bogalusa, Louisiana. View All Credits 1 7.7K 10 4 Learn More. Komunyakaa uses the wall as a backdrop to express these feelings. He has published nine books of poetry and teaches at Princeton University. What does the title mean? Born in Bogalusa, Louisiana in 1947, Yusef Komunyakaa was the first black man to win a Pulitzer Prize for Poetry (1994). 271,000 veterans of the Vietnam War may still have post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, and for many veterans, the PTSD symptoms are only getting worse with time. Facing It. My black face fades, hiding inside the black granite. Biography of Yusef Komunyakaa. I said I wouldn't, dammit: No tears. I'm stone. Thanks for exploring this SuperSummary Study Guide of "Facing It" by Yusef Komunyakaa. In Komunyakaa's "Facing It , we get a detailed look at the personal casualties and inner conflict set involving the veteran fantastic inability to deal with the memories he is having. Yusef Komunyakaa was born in Bogalusa, Louisiana in April of 1941. TLDR: "Facing It" by Yusef Komunyakaa. My black face fades, hiding inside the black granite. I'm stone. Facing It Summary and Study Guide. 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: "the sound of the Old Testament informed the cadences of their speech," Komunyakaa has stated. I'm flesh. 744 Words3 Pages. Dec. 2011. It is most commonly thought that Komunyakaa is the narrator, telling this poem in first person . My clouded reflection eyes me. He also received the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial stands as a symbol of recognition of the men and women who served in the Vietnam War. Facing It is a poem that deals with the personal angst of the speaker, a Vietnam veteran, who is visiting the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington DC.. Engraved are the names of the 58,000 men and women who gave their lives or remain missing during . In "Facing It" Yusef Komunyakaa presents sensory details, thoughts, and impressions without judgment or contextualizing information. I said I wouldn't, dammit: No tears. 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. He brings to life images of women left in doorways/ reaching in from America. Yusef Komunyakaa's "Facing It" is touching. Komunyakaa was deployed in Vietnam from 1969-1970 as a war correspondent for the military newspaper The Southern Cross, and witnessed the war's brutality firsthand.He served with the Americal Division, whose name today is most often associated with the My Lai massacre of hundreds of . This poem is dealing with post-Vietnam problems. In Komunyakaa's "Facing It", we get an in depth look at the personal casualties and inner conflict set between the veteran and his inability to cope with the memories he is having. "Facing It" is a poem by American poet and author Yusef Komunyakaa. I'm stone. The poet has won . 'Facing It' by Yusef Komunyakaa is a 31 line poem that does not adhere to any particular rhyme scheme or strictly metered pattern. I turn this way—the stone lets me go. He describes the stone and how he appears to fade in and out of in. In his poem, "Facing It," the poet relives his painful memories from the past, coming from early experiences in racism and later on in his life in the scarring events of the Vietnam War and Komunyakaa must learn to cope with these . I said I wouldn't, dammit: No tears. The black granite is what the names of the deceased soldiers are written on. Yusef Komunyakaa Facing It Michael Lythgoe. I'm flesh. Therefore, his themes are not clear-cut statements but rather complex impressions that allow for a wide variety of interpretations. By using metaphors, Yusef Komunyakaa is able to portray sharp …show more content… Yusef Komunyakaa's work tends to be highly autobiographical, and Komunyakaa is a Vietnam War veteran who visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial for the first time about a year before he wrote "Facing It." Nevertheless, it is often advisable (and it may be required in some academic writing situations) to discuss the speaker of a poem as an entity . like a bird of prey, the profile of night. Yusef Komunyakaa Facing It Analysis 698 Words | 3 Pages. Poem Analysis - Facing It. My black face fades, hiding inside the black granite. Yusef Komunyakaa, the author of "Facing It," is a Vietnam Veteran who appears to write as a means to express his grief, pain, and postwar experiences. Poetry Analysis Fifty-eight thousand Americans were killed, two thousand captured, and three hundred fifty thousand maimed and wounded in Vietnam. Facing It by Yusef Komunyakaa. I said I wouldn't. Komunyakaa explains to the readers the inner workings of his brain and how permanent war is not only in his mind but in . Yusef Komunyakaa. I'm flesh. Yusef Komunyakaa's books of poetry include Taboo, Dien Cai Dau, Neon Vernacular, for which he received the Pulitzer Prize, Talking Dirty to the Gods,Warhorses, The Chameleon Couch, The Emperor of Water Clocks, and Everyday Mojo Songs of Earth forthcoming from Farrar, Straus, and Giroux in 2020. Last Reviewed on June 19, 2019, by eNotes Editorial. - The Academy of American Poets is the largest membership-based nonprofit organization fostering an appreciation for contemporary poetry and supporting American poets. It is a reflection on Komunyakaa's first visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.Komunyakaa served in Vietnam and was discharged from the Army in 1966, during which time he wrote for army newspaper Southern Cross.It is the second poem written by Komunyakaa about Vietnam. In it, the speaker has a profound emotional experience while reading the names at the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial (Komunyakaa himself is a Vietnam Vet). My clouded reflection eyes me. V-shaped, 493-ft. Made of polished black granite. Yusef Komunyakaa (born James William Brown; April 29, 1941) is an American poet who teaches at New York University and is a member of the Fellowship of Southern Writers.Komunyakaa is a recipient of the 1994 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award, for Neon Vernacular and the 1994 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry.He also received the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize.Komunyakaa received the 2007 Louisiana Writer Award for . Thesis Statement: * Topic- Yusef Komunyakaa "Facing It" * Critical Opinion-Viewing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial often brings back many real and uneasy memories for a Vietnam Veteran. My clouded reflection eyes me like a bird of prey, the profile of night slanted against morning. Both of these styles of writing utilize enjambment. The message Yusef Komunyakaa implies in his poem "Facing It" is that enjoying life's beauty and warmth is stronger than mourning over regrets and mishaps, and he displays the theme by powerfully utilizing metaphors, imagery, and symbolism. Experienced 2. His honors include the William Faulkner Prize (Université Rennes, France), the Ruth Lilly Poetry . In the poem "Facing It" by Yusef Komunyakaa, it centers on an African American man who served in one of the most trying wars of all time, the Vietnam War, and is visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. It is most commonly thought that all Komunyakaa may be the narrator, telling this poem in first-person straight from his memories in the Vietnam Warfare. Facing It," by Yusef Komunyakaa talks about a war which most, if not all Americans are familiar with. He has written numerous books of poems including Neon Vernacular (1994), for which he received the Pulitzer Prize and the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award.In 1999 he was elected a chancellor of the Academy of American Poets. 32 quotes from Yusef Komunyakaa: 'I am this space my body believes in.', 'Title: Blue Light Lounge Sutra For The Performance Poets At Harold Park Hotel the need gotta be so deep words can't answer simple questions all night long notes stumble off the tongue & color the air indigo so deep fragments of gut & flesh cling to the song you gotta get into it so deep salt crystalizes on eyelashes the . "Open the Unusual Door: Visions from the Dark Window in Yusef Komunyakaa's Early Poems" This essay by Ed Pavlic discusses the early works of Yusef Komunyakaa and his connection to blues and surrealism. We will write a custom Research Paper on Yusef Komunyakaa's "Facing It" Literature Analysis specifically for you. hiding inside the black granite." Komunyakaa is an African American, hence him saying that his black face fades, and 'black granite' meaning the stone and Komunyakaa's face bear witness to the war's casualties. Word Count: 490 "Facing It" by Yusef Komunyaa is a poem about Vietnam. " Facing It " is a poem by Yusef Komunyakaa about his visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC, several years after his return from the Vietnam War. Yusef Komunyakaa Facing It Michael Lythgoe. As a Vietnam War veteran himself, it's pretty difficult to fathom how Yusef Komunyakaa felt when he saw the names of his dead comrades listed out in front of him. His impressive career spans well over 40 years, during which he has deeply affected the literary landscape. In the poem "Facing It" by Yusef Komunyakaa the author uses great imagery that has both literal and figurative meaning behind them. Facing It is Yusef Komunyakaa's most well-known poem. Yusef Komunyakaa, originally James William Brown was born in 1947 in Bogalusa, Louisiana, the conservative rural South at the beginning of the Civil Rights movement. A surname belonging to his grandfather who had been a stowaway on a ship. Facing it allows us to think that he is facing a problem. Komunyakaa uses the wall as a backdrop to express these feelings. Yusef Komunyakaa: Facing It @ The Internet Poetry Archive. The poem "Blackberries" by Yusef Komunyakaa, published in 1992, had many meanings, War. Analysis: "Facing It" There are many elements of internal trauma in this poem. dammit: No tears. I said I wouldn't, dammit: No tears. Komunyakaa's work is musical, muscular, and finely crafted. 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. Reflecting on his experiences, Yusef expresses his conflicting feelings about the Vietnam War and his feelings about how racism has . This poem was very well written, and I respect all that was said in the context of the poem. Without question, Yusef Komunyakaa is one of the luminaries of contemporary American poetry. "Facing It" by Yusef Komunyakaa The world of poetry is the reflection of human inner emotions and feelings. One of Komunyakaa's most frequently anthologized poems, "Facing It" was first published in his collection Dien Cai Dau, 1988. View Resources. Character Analysis of Yusef Komunyakaa "Facing It" Essay. The poem "Facing it" by Yusef Komunyakaa has a tone that will haunt a reader well after they are done reading it. The tone is firm, controlled, and reassuring, as if the speaker is trying to give themself a pep talk to stay . Komunyakaa has composed this poem by alternating between short choppy lines and longer, drawn out phrases. Don't waste time Get a verified expert to help you with Essay. Facing It Poem by Yusef Komunyakaa. Yusef Komunyakaa (USA, 1947) Saturday 1 January 2011. Use of Imagery and Figurative Language in "Facing It" by Yusef Komunyakaa In his poem, "Facing It", Yusef Komunyakaa describes his ambivalent emotions towards the Vietnam War of which he was a veteran. For the most part, the speaker is having an internal monologue by speaking to themself and trying to make sense of everything they are seeing in the present reconciled against the horrors of the past. In Yusef Komunyakaa's poem, "Facing It"," the poet uses conflicting images and symbols to express these conflicting feelings. like a bird of prey, the profile of night. Komunyakaa also acknowledges the anguish of mothers, wives, and lovers left behind. The author is trying not to cry. The first line of the poem, "My black face fades, hiding inside the black granite." is a great example of well used imagery that has literal and figurative meaning. In the poem "Facing It," Yusef Komunyakaa, an African-American, solemnly reflects over his experience serving in the Vietnam War while on a visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. I'm stone. Facing It By Yusef Komunyakaa Learn. The poet uses rich imagery in describing his ambivalent emotions towards the Vietnam War, where he was a veteran. Facing It" By Yusef Komunyakaa This poem, Facing It, is about the reaction of a man after he saw the Vietnam Veterans memorial in Washington D.C that brought about a lot of the memories about the Vietnam War. 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. Yusef wrote the poem after returning home from Vietnam. 2. Lin describes the reflection as Yusef Komunyakaa And A Summary of Facing It. People face a problem or a fear head on. I'm stone. He is the oldest among five siblings and bore the name, James William Brown until he reclaimed the name, Komunyakaa. The author describes the emotional impact the visit has on him. The Poem Facing It By Yusef Komunyakaa. Yusef Komunyakaa, the author of the poem Facing It, was born in Bogalusa, Louisiana on April 29, 1947. It's raw emotion from a Vietnam vet - the constant emotional tug of war between the now, and the "then" (the time spent in the war) It made me think of when we had taken the trip to Washington DC 3 years ago, and seeing the big black stone wall covered in names of fallen Vietnam veterans. He legally Komunyakaa was inspired to write the poem following a visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial some 14 years after his time as a soldier in the Vietnam War. Yusef Komunyakaa published "Facing It" in his 1988 collection Dien Cai Dau. Yusef Komunyakaa writes movingly about his Vietnam War experience in his poem "Facing It." The "It" in Komunyakaa's poem refers both to the war and the black granite of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Poem starts with author standing at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial -- a giant black stone with names of the deceased veterans etched in. He encounters his reflection in the polished black surface of the memorial wall, where the names of dead and missing soldiers are inscribed, and struggles to . Yusef Komunyakaa Biography. Komunyakaa served in Vietnam from 1965 to 1967, and his memories of those years haunt him . While there is nothing that directly states Komunyakaa experimented with surrealism poetics, Pavlic insists that "Komunyakaa's poetry searches for techniques that enable the kinds of . Yusef Komunyakaa writes movingly about his Vietnam War experience in his poem "Facing It." The "It" in Komunyakaa's poem refers both to the war and the black. The Complexity of Being Human: An Interview with Yusef Komunyakaa. I turn this way—the stone lets me go. I'm flesh. "Facing It" Analysis. In his poem, "Facing It," Yusef Komunyakaa, an African American Vietnam War veteran, takes that first step toward healing as he approaches the memorial. Being a Veteran myself and having been to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. several times, I empathize with Komunyakaa. The poem deals with the speaker's struggle to confront traumatic wartime memories while looking at . It is a glimpse into the authors mindset. The author develops his emotions of guilt and sorrow through his poems "Blackberries" and "Facing It" even though the poems are about entirely different aspects in the author's life. A Summary and Analysis of Yusef Komunyakaa's 'Facing It' This post brings to you a summary and analysis of the poem 'Facing It' by Yusef Komunyakaa. Yusef Komunyakaa's confrontation of the Vietnam Memorial opens a gateway of misery and confusion for him. The highly controversial and widely publicized war has long been known to have lasting and profound impacts on retu My black face fades, hiding inside the black granite. Ask a question. The speaker of the poem, whom the reader can assume is Komunyakaa himself, faces the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Wall with all of these feelings. Yusef Komunyakaa received the Bronze Star for his service in Vietnam, where he served as a correspondent and managing editor of the Southern Cross. Works Cited. In " Facing It ," only the second poem he'd written in retrospect about Vietnam, Komunyakaa's response to his war experience is deeply shaped by his visit, a year earlier, to Lin's memorial. 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: "the sound of the Old Testament informed the . Get an answer for 'Identify and discuss the effective use of image, and explain how that element contributes to establishing the central theme of "Facing It" by Yusef Komunyakaa.' and find . Teach This Poem: "Facing It" by Yusef Komunyakaa - Produced for K-12 educators, Teach This Poem features one poem a week from our online poetry. Poetry Analysis Of Facing It By Yusef Kounyakaa 809 Words | 4 Pages. It is most commonly thought that Komunyakaa is the narrator, telling this poem in first person . "Facing It" is a poem by American poet and author Yusef Komunyakaa. This poem has learning resources. In Yusef Komunyakaa's poem "Facing It", he uses a regretful tone to successfully express the speaker's memories of the Vietnam War. Yusef Komunyakaa grew up in the deep South during the dawn of the Civil Rights movement. 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