Task 2 (Rainbow death)
Analysis of Rainbow Death:
This poem has a simple layout, only with two stanzas and five lines for the first one, six lines for the second one. There is also rhyming in it, at the last word of every two lines. For example, “foresee” rhymes with “potpourri”.
This poem talks about the chemicals (Agent Orange) the Americans used against the Viet Cong in the Vietnam War.
The point of view in this poem is a soldier who had fought in the war, and the situation is set in the Vietnam War. The persona is against the leaders of the war for using the deadly chemicals on the enemy. This can be seen immediately from the first sentence “America did not foresee”. The “green, pink, purple and other colors” refer to the colors of the chemicals used, which signals death “death potpourri”.
America did not foresee the consequences and now the deadly effects of the chemical affects the innocent people uninvolved in war and the unborn babies of the women affected by the chemical. The next two lines supported this, showing that the Americans did not care about the illnesses of the people affected and disregarding the premature deaths of the unborn.
However, America continues to deceive the public, distorting the truth about the use of these chemicals and giving them the wrong information:
“All the deceit continues to spread.
Nefariously America led astray”
The next line “Generations untold WILL pay” means that the next generations of the affected people will suffer from the effects of the chemical. Wilson ends off the poem with the main message of the whole poem: he condemns the use of these chemicals.
“Execrable effects of agent orange spray!”
I think that this is a great poem, as it clearly explains the point of view of the persona. I personally think that the use of these chemicals is wrong and inhuman. Thousands of people and their next generations were affected, and many were born deformed or retarded. Also, the American government tried to cover this up and gave the excuse that it was simply trying to stop Communism from spreading. I think that the least the government should do is to tell the truth and ask public’s opinions.
In all, I agree with the persona and condemn the fact that the government purposely led the public astray by lying and spreading deceit.
Analysis of Rainbow Death:
This poem has a simple layout, only with two stanzas and five lines for the first one, six lines for the second one. There is also rhyming in it, at the last word of every two lines. For example, “foresee” rhymes with “potpourri”.
This poem talks about the chemicals (Agent Orange) the Americans used against the Viet Cong in the Vietnam War.
The point of view in this poem is a soldier who had fought in the war, and the situation is set in the Vietnam War. The persona is against the leaders of the war for using the deadly chemicals on the enemy. This can be seen immediately from the first sentence “America did not foresee”. The “green, pink, purple and other colors” refer to the colors of the chemicals used, which signals death “death potpourri”.
America did not foresee the consequences and now the deadly effects of the chemical affects the innocent people uninvolved in war and the unborn babies of the women affected by the chemical. The next two lines supported this, showing that the Americans did not care about the illnesses of the people affected and disregarding the premature deaths of the unborn.
However, America continues to deceive the public, distorting the truth about the use of these chemicals and giving them the wrong information:
“All the deceit continues to spread.
Nefariously America led astray”
The next line “Generations untold WILL pay” means that the next generations of the affected people will suffer from the effects of the chemical. Wilson ends off the poem with the main message of the whole poem: he condemns the use of these chemicals.
“Execrable effects of agent orange spray!”
I think that this is a great poem, as it clearly explains the point of view of the persona. I personally think that the use of these chemicals is wrong and inhuman. Thousands of people and their next generations were affected, and many were born deformed or retarded. Also, the American government tried to cover this up and gave the excuse that it was simply trying to stop Communism from spreading. I think that the least the government should do is to tell the truth and ask public’s opinions.
In all, I agree with the persona and condemn the fact that the government purposely led the public astray by lying and spreading deceit.
