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In the poem “Photograph from September 11”, author Wislawa Szymborska captures the indescribable on paper the way a picture did with film. In part, her attention to detail as she writes: “There’s enough time/for hair to come loose/for keys and coins/to fall from pockets.” (lines 10-14), brings the reality of how intense the free fall was for those who jumped from the Twin Towers. Though it was only about ten seconds in duration, it would have seemed endless for those who were falling.
I liked this poem for a number of reasons, Szymborska gives us a reprieve from the inevitable and helps us resolve the crisis. When she says the only thing she can do is, “describe this flight/and not add a last line”(lines 18-19), she stops death. Though just for an instant, it gives one time to breathe and begin to reconcile our pain, anger and disbelief.
I appreciate her tone; it is direct and lends dignity to a situation that has none. There is no decorum in death. It is an ugly event, especially when brought about in such a heinous manner. It can be faced with courage and grace. It can be faced peacefully and many other positive emotions, but the occurrence itself is ugly. By speaking in a simple, direct voice rather than a flowery or obscure one, Szymborska emphasis the victim’s plight rather than glorifying their deaths.
The style used in “Letter Composed During a Lull in the Fighting” caught my attention. In it veteran Kevin C. Powers uses phrases like, “I tell her” repetitively (lines 1, 4 and 9). After each phrase Powers uses the rest of the stanza to demonstrate each train of thought. The meandering nature of the verses screams, understandably, mental exhaustion and disillusionment. Yet still, the next stanza continues with “I tell her” as structure demands. One senses the same demands, structure and perseverance, were required of the soldier who penned the lines.
BIBLIOGRAPHIC CITATION:
Szymborska, Wislawa. Monologue of a Dog. Orlando, FL, USA: Harrcourt Inc., 2006. Print.
Powers, Kevin C. "Poetry Foundation." N.p., 09 Feb 2009. Web. 8 Sep 2010. <http://www.poetryfoundation.org/archive/poem.html?id=182821>.
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