In seven pages this paper contrasts and compares the poems 'My Father's Love Letters' and 'Facing It' by Yusef Komunyakaa. Two sources are cited in the bibliography.
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public becomes unglued when realizing that there are often a myriad of messages in the context and complexities of one small poem. Thus, it can be said, that words have
power and it can be argued that the power is concentrated to a fine focus in the art of the poem by the poets use of controlling metaphors, symbolism, structure,
and various other literary devices. The work of Yusef Komunyakaa, in particular his poems, Facing It and My Fathers Love Letters, it can be said, have this kind of power.
Facing It, can be interpreted on many levels. On the surface, it is a poem about a mans visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and his observation of the various
people that are also there. He wonders about their stories and reflects on his own time served as a soldier. My Fathers Love Letters has its own brand of
power. This poem, on the surface appears to be the depiction of a son writing a letter for his father, who cannot read or write. It shows a very strong
man, whose weakness is his dynamic of emotion and his inability to control it. This poem can be said to be as bittersweet as Facing It as both speak about
loss and redemption. If one were to move deeper into the meanings of both poems, or on an emotional, cognitive tour of the poem, as it were, one would come
to the next layer which seems to be present in both poems. This element would be that of imagery. Yusef Komunyakaa is a very tactile poet, meaning that he tends
to utilize the sense of touch and sight more than any other in his poetry. Here are sensory examples from both poems: