Sex Without Love

Sharon Olds wants to know to why people have sex with out the love for one another. How do you take such an act and dirty it just for pleasure. She says “wet as the children at birth whose mothers are going to give them away” She must mean that since the female took the time out to give her body away and yet give away, an abortion or adoption, so easily, knowing that they purposely put themselves in that position. She mentioned the bible because in the bible it says that people should not have intimacy out of wedlock.

Facing the Past

Yusef Komunyakaa- Facing It

*The Speaker seems to be hiding from something at the beginning of the poem, it could be his feelings or the reality of the past that is actually settling in.

*"Im stone, I'm flesh" He is going from memory of the present, he is remembering what happened while he was in the Vietnam war. His reflection that is depending on the light is making him turn from stone to flesh. by the second.

*He clearly survived the war, but his friend Andrew Johnson didnt, as he puts his finger on the name, the horrible death replays in his mind, Andrew was killed by the booby trap and the speaker saw it all. He thought that he too should be dead.

*The lady that walked by could be someone that also escape death, and as she passes the wall, Andrew remains dead, the she could have saved him but chose to let him die.

*The white Vet's image is Andrew, he is now bringing the name on the wall to life. He should have beem dead, he didnt go out like a soldier, he didnt fight back to save his friends's life, he hid inside the black granite. Now Andrew doesn't see him as a real soldier, He sees right through him.

*As the vet fades into the stone, or disappears, he sees a lady that is trying to erase the names, could that be Andrew's wife that doesnt want to believe that he is dead? or Maybe Andrew's Mother? as he realizes that she is brushing a little boys' hair, that little boy could be Andrew's son, now mourning his deceased father.