Introduction
Facing It by Yusef Komunyakaa is a deeply evocative poem that delves into the emotional turmoil experienced by a Vietnam War veteran as he confronts the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Yusef Komunyakaa, an African American poet and a veteran himself, draws from his own experiences to imbue the poem with authenticity and poignant depth. His work often explores themes of memory, trauma, and the human capacity for resilience and forgiveness. Published in his 1988 collection Dien Cai Dau, which in Vietnamese means “crazy in the head,” the poem reflects the permanent psychological scars left by the war. The genre of this poem is modern American poetry, characterized by its free verse structure and rich, emotive imagery. 📖✨
Meaning of Facing It
Opening Section In the opening lines of Facing It, Komunyakaa introduces us to the speaker’s conflicted feelings as he stands before the black granite wall of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The lines “My black face fades, / hiding inside the black granite” suggest a profound emotional and psychological merging of the speaker with the memorial, symbolizing how the war’s memories are permanently etched in his identity.
Mid Section As the poem progresses, the speaker’s reflections move deeper into personal grief and collective memory. Verses like “I go down the 58,022 names, / half-expecting to find my own in letters like smoke” illustrate the overwhelming nature of loss and the surreal feeling of survival. The wall acts as a mirror in which the past and present collide, showing faces of the deceased that blur the line between the living and the dead.
Concluding Section The poem concludes with a poignant acknowledgment of the speaker’s ongoing struggle to separate himself from the war’s legacy. “A white vet’s image floats / closer to me, then his pale eyes / look through mine. I’m a window.” These lines reflect the shared pain across racial and temporal divides, highlighting the universal impact of the war and the memorial’s role in collective mourning and healing.
In-depth Analysis
—Stanza Analysis— Each stanza in Facing It serves as a microcosm of the emotional landscape the speaker navigates. Here’s a breakdown:
- Stanza 1: Introduces the physical and emotional setting. The black granite serves as a metaphor for both the memorial and the dark, often suppressed memories of the war.
- Stanza 2: Deepens the emotional exploration, touching on the names on the wall, representing the enormity of loss and the personal connection to it.
- Stanza 3: Reveals the interaction with other visitors, symbolizing the shared and yet isolating experience of grief.
—Literary Techniques—
- Imagery: Vivid and haunting visuals of the wall and reflections evoke deep emotional responses.
- Symbolism: The wall symbolizes death, memory, and the thin line between the past and the present.
- Contrast: Between the speaker’s visibility and invisibility at the wall, highlighting internal conflicts and the struggle with identity.
Poetic Devices used in Facing It
| Device | Example from the Poem |
|---|---|
| Alliteration | “black face fades” |
| Assonance | “hiding inside” |
| Consonance | “black granite” |
| Enjambment | “He’s lost his right arm / inside the stone” |
| Imagery | “I turn / this way—the stone lets me go” |
| Metaphor | “the stone lets me go” |
| Personification | “the stone to swallow me” |
| Simile | “names shimmer on a woman’s blouse” |
| Symbolism | “The wall, a black mirror” |
| Synecdoche | “58,022 names” representing lost soldiers |
Facing It – FAQs
Q: What is the main theme of ‘Facing It’? A: The main theme of Facing It revolves around the lasting impacts of war, memory, and the process of healing. The poem explores how personal and collective grief intertwine at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Q: Who is the speaker in the poem? A: The speaker is likely a representation of Yusef Komunyakaa himself, a Vietnam War veteran who confronts his past and the collective memory of the war through the memorial.
Q: How does the structure of the poem contribute to its meaning? A: The poem’s free verse structure allows for a fluid, reflective, and deeply personal exploration of emotions, mimicking the unpredictable process of memory and grief.
Q: Why does Komunyakaa use the Vietnam Veterans Memorial as a setting for the poem? A: The memorial serves as a powerful symbol of war’s permanence in memory and its emotional toll, providing a space for public mourning and personal reconciliation with the past.
Facing It Study Guide
Verse for Analysis: “My black face fades, hiding inside the black granite.”
Exercise: List all the poetic devices used in the above verse.
Answers:
- Alliteration: Repetition of the ‘b’ sound in “black” and “back.”
- Imagery: The image of the face fading into the granite evokes a sense of merging or disappearing.
- Metaphor: The black granite represents both the physical memorial and the emotional burden of the war.