Rainbow Death --- Task 2

Rainbow Death

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 was led astray -

Generations untold WILL pay -

Execrable effects of agent orange spray!

1) Point of View

Point --- Strongly object USA actions in using the Agent Orange /

Evidence --- "America did not foresee"

“Now thinking twice?”

“Nefariously America led astray”

"Death potpourri"

Elaboration --- By saying “Now thinking twice”, Hubert is saying that the USA had not thought through all the consequences of the Agent Orange but when the realised the devastating effects that caused gore and defects, it was too late to reverse the effects anymore. Death potpourri is a oxymoron as potpourri refers to a mixture of dried, naturally fragrant plant material, used to provide a gentle natural scent in houses and death is in itself gory and brutal. The speaker may be trying to say that death spreads as fast as the scent of the potpourri as Agent Orange is able to kill rapidly. Finally, the most vital clue to the poet side is when he calls America nefarious (which means evil)

2)Situation & Settings

Point --- Historic Setting was the Vietnam War

Evidence --- "birth defects"

"premature death"

"execrable effects of agent orange spray"

Elaboration --- From the evidence, it is evident that Agent Orange was used in the context of the poem. The effects of Agent Orange, such as " birth defects" and "premature death", are similar to those effects of Agent Orange in the Vietnam War. Furthermore, future generations will also have to pay for the damage caused by the Agent Orange. To ensure this was the Vietnam War, USA was included in this poem.

3)Language/Diction

Point --- Poem includes many literary devices such as oxymoron and alliteration

Evidence --- "rainbow death"

"thinking twice"

Through the poet’s use of oxymoron like “death potpourri”, it creates a sarcastic tone which shows that he is sceptical of the USA using Agent Orange in the war. He also uses alliteration of the “t” sound in “thinking twice”. The “t” sound is a harsh, sharp sound that is commonly associated with scolding. It demonstrates that the poet may be chiding the USA's actions or perhaps disapproving it after he had experienced the horrors of chemical warfare.

4)I found that this poem managed to convey the situation of the Vietnam War to the reader as it conveys image of death and decay. The reader would also be able to feel the fury in the tone as well as the sense of disappointment and hopelessness. Thus, I feel that this poem has succeeded as it manages to evoke emotion as well as expressing his sentiments to the USA.

Rainbow Death --- Task 1

This was a note written by Hubert Wilson that gives the reader some background information on him as well as 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 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.

He basically served in the USAF security service and ended up in an Agent Orange hotspot, Da Nang. His health problems started after 15 years and he suspected the contaminated drinking water at Shemya. Since his brain was still working, he became a writer.

I feel that the main conflict in the poem is the "effects of Agent Orange spray". The poem

speaks of a modern day ingredient of warfare that has caused appalling death and suffering – not only to its intended victims, the Vietnamese people, but also the service personnel that used or even just came into contact with “Agent Orange”, just like Hubert Wilson himself. Chemical warfare can cause massive damage to everyone, including those innocent ones as there was a fearsome 500000 children born with defects. Agent Orange has caused someone totally not involved in the war to suffer as a result of the chemical.

References:

http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/2010warpoetry.html#Rainbow