Facing It

“The Invasion of Grenada” by W. D. Ehrhart

In contrast to Komunyakaa’s poem, Ehrhart openly opposes the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in his poem, ending with the lines, “What I wanted/ was an end to monuments.” The poem is a call to action in recognizing the brutality and inhumanity of war, and also in calling out the privilege of US citizens, who live in a nation that often creates wars then builds commemorative memorials to honor the lost countrymen and women. 

“Kissing in Vietnamese” by Ocean Vuong

The son of refugees from the Vietnam War, Vuong investigates the generational effects of warfare by writing about his grandmother’s trauma in a tender yet harrowing way. Rather than being filled with the innocent warmth of a stereotypical grandma, Vuong’s memories of his own elder is scarred by her fear of bombs, exit wounds, and violence. The poem is a subtle yet clear indictment on the direct consequences of the Vietnam war, decades later.