Always be thankful (Formal Blog)

America did not foresee
Green, pink, purple and other colors death potpourri!
Expecting others to pay a high price.
Now thinking twice?
Toll on the innocent and unborn.

Omnipotent and disregarding who will mourn.
Reflective about all the illness, birth defects and prematurely dead.
All the deceit continues to spread.
Nefariously America led astray -
Generations untold WILL pay -
Execrable effects of agent orange spray!

The main object to draw your attention to in this poem is the "Agent Orange", as mentioned in the last line of the poem. "Agent Orange" is most definitely not what it suggests to be. Rather, it is the code name for a herbicide and defoliant used by the US Army in its herbicidal warfare program. Part of the "Rainbow Herbicides" group of chemicals, it was the most widely used herbicide, and has caused numerous health problems to those who have been used to it. The title of this poem, "Rainbow Death", refers to the deaths caused by the "Rainbow Herbicides".

Here, the writer of this poem, Hubert Wilson, shares about why he wrote the poem:

I am a Vietnam War veteran (as are my four brothers) who served in the USAF Security Service. I, along with a dozen or so intelligence school grads, prepped for about 14 months at Kelly AFB in San Antonio, Texas, before anticipating being sent to Vietnam or elsewhere in southeat Asia in 1970. About half ended up in Da Nang (an Agent Orange hotspot) in the 6924th Security Squadron. The rest of us were assigned to Shemya Island, Alaska, with the 6984th Security Squadron, and what eventually was a MORE contaminated environment than Da Nang!

My health problems started approximately 15 years ago with unexplained headaches and limb pains. Four years ago my central nervous system radically deteriorated with Parkinsonian type tremors, severe headaches, progressive limb pains, etc. No physician has ever diagnosed the specific illness. NO VA physician has ever rendered ANY medical assistance! My number one educated guess is the heavily contaminated drinking water at Shemya during my year there as an intelligence analyst. Organo-phosphate toxins may not run their toxic course until 20 to 30 years after initial exposure.

Since my brain still functions moderately well (and I have mobility issues), I have turned to writing just like my late Father and the late singer (and writer) Johnny Cash.

Task 2:

1.) Point of view

The poem is written in the point of view of an officer who had fought in the US-Vietnam war under the USAF(United States Air Force) section. He was exposed to the deadly herbicide, Agent Orange, and that has affected his central nervous system. We can sense his anger and discontentment with the US Authorities for using the herbicide in the war, especially because it has affected his central nervous system and hence his mobility. His voice in the poem is dramatised, causing the whole poem to sound like a single harsh criticism of USA's strategies used in war. He also does not speak up for himself, but for the whole community of people who were affected by the herbicide warfare program.

2.) Situation & Setting

Although the poem is a modern piece of literature, focusing on the ongoing problems caused by the herbicide warfare program, it also directs partly to the future implications of it, evident from how the writer states that Americans "will mourn" and future generations "WILL pay" as a consequence of the decision made by the authorities to use the herbicide warfare program. The significance in the poem is how it warns readers about the imminent after-effects of using the "Rainbow Herbicides" and causing the exposure to not only the Vietnamese, but also the Americans. There is no climax or variation of development in the poem, but a consistent strong and critical tone. Through the way it has been written, it is very clear that this is an anti-war poem.

3.) Language/Diction

The title itself is an oxymoron, because rainbows signify the end of a storm and the emergence of the Sun. In this case however, it is linked with death, a stark contrast with what it has been stereotyped as. The poem starts out already criticizing America's efforts in herbicide warfare. A question is then posed, "Now thinking twice?", sounding like an angry, but at the same time, sad sneer. The poem starts to list out the consequences in the second stanza, "illness, birth defects and prematurely dead", "America led astray", "Generations untold WILL pay", before ending and mentioning the cause of all this for the first and last time: "Execrable effects of agent orange spray!"

4.) Personal Response

Although I have never experienced war, nor heard of the "Rainbow Herbicides" before, the poet has succeeded in making me feel angry at the authorities for engaging in herbicide warfare. While doing research on this poem, I cam across pictures of people handicapped or disfigured as a result of exposure to "Agent Orange" . I was, and still am disgusted at how the Americans used herbicides to weaken their enemy, but not actually consider, or perhaps, overlook the consequences of doing so.

Chalk and blackboards will not be
To this door there is no key
From this life they can not flee
And these children are not free

Could we simply light a candle
Could we give them half a chance
Could we teach them how to read
Could we teach them how to dance

Or will a war consume them
Their body and their soul
Will their life and blood be poured
Down some endless thirsty hole

Back into the darkness
From which there is no flight
Back into the darkness
Into which there shines no light

Basic information:

The writer of this poem, Henry M Bechtold, is a modern poet who has a great affection for Vietnam. His affection for Vietnam was developed on his visit there from 1967-1968. Since then, he has returned to Vietnam and still frequents her nowadays. On his website, he says that Vietnam fills him with "exquisite joy" at times, but also "breaks my(his) heart", showing the deep emotional connection he and Vietnam share.

Here, the writer shares how he gained inspiration for writing this poem:

"I was sitting in my hotel room in Saigon just before Christmas 2009 and I was trying to write a poem about the girls who work in the park and how badly men treat them. I was angry but unable to write anything that did not sound trite or weak. I looked at the TV and the news was on. I did not know what the news reader was saying but in the background was a photo of a small boy with a helmet and an automatic rifle. This poem flowed out. The words just came to me and I typed as fast as I could to get it all down."

Task 2:

1.) Point Of View

This poem is written from the point of view of bystander, someone who has seen children being equipped for war and is against the idea of doing so. Being someone who feels for Vietnam, the poet is critical of the authorities for training children to go to war. He is upset that the children are forced to take the path that has been set for them, evident from "life they cannot flee" and "are not free", questions the reader, "Could we..." before stating the consequences "Or will a war consume them...", to evoke deep thought about this matter and possibly take action, revealing his functions for this poem. The writing style of the poet is very dramatised, highlighting obviously to readers that his stand is to not allow children to be trained at a young age to go to war.

2.) Situation and setting

The poem is set in a modern context, addressing the prevalent concerns in our society today. Conflict is evident: whether or not children should be trained at a young age to go to war. The conflict can be classified as social conflict. The poet feels that children of a young age should not be trained to go to war, but does not say anything against the idea of war concerning adults. The conflict is not resolved though, leaving readers with questions and thoughts of the problem mentioned.

The poem starts out informing readers about the main concern in the poem, "There are children... There are children...", and goes on to express sympathy for children who do not have a chance to enjoy childhood the normal way in the second stanza: "Chalk and blackboards will not be... And these children will not be free." Questions start to appear in the third stanza, "Could we...", in some way asking for something to be done about this problem. Following that, consequences and implications of not addressing the problem are listed down, "Or will... Down some endless thirsty hole." Wrapping up the whole poem is a solemn and sad statement. "Back into the darkness... shines no light" links back to the first stanza, showing that no progress has been made from the start and that the conflict has not been resolved.

3.) Language & Diction

Different types of figurative language are used to express the situation that the poet wants his readers to see. "Darkness" is used to symbolise unawareness. In "children in the darkness", the writer is trying to tell his readers that the children do not know of the fact that they are being trained to go to war and most probably eventually die. Imagery is also used to describe the fate of the children being trained to go to war. Their "life and blood" are described as a liquid, most probably water, which will be "poured Down some endless and thirsty hole". This can be interpreted as the children never being able to escape death because of what they have been made to go through.

Repetition is used to strike readers time and again with questions to ponder about: "Could we". "Darkness is mentioned twice at the start and twice at the end. The tone of the poem is solemn consistently, except for the 3rd stanza which questions readers.

4.) Personal response

As a reader, I would say that Hechbold's poem has not succeeded in speaking to me the way it was made to. I am able to sympathize for the children, but no to the extent that I would do something about it. Having never experienced war before, it is impossible for me to understand or picture the horror it brings about. Most children, like me, in Singapore have had a comforable or at least satisfying childhood. Hence, we are unable to put ourselves in the position of those who are forced to go to war.