Original Poem：
Corktown
Groceries ring
in my intestines:
grits aint groceries
eggs aint poultry
Mona Lisa was a man:
waltzing in sawdust
I dream my cards
has five holes in it,
up to twenty holes;
five shots out of seven
beneath the counter;
surrounded by detectives
pale ribbons of valor
my necklace of bullets
powdering the operating table.
Five impaled men loop their ribbons
’round my neck
listening to whispers of valor:
“Honey, what you cryin’ ’bout?
You made it back.”
Caves
Four M-48 tank platoons ambushed
near Dak To, two destroyed:
the Ho Chi Minh Trail boils,
half my platoon rockets
into stars near Cambodia,
foot soldiers dance from highland woods
taxing our burning half:
there were no caves for them to hide.
We saw no action,
eleven months twenty-two days
in our old tank
burning sixty feet away:
I watch them burn inside out:
hoisting
through heavy crossfire,
hoisting
over turret hatches,
hoisting
my last burning man
alive to the ground,
our tank artillery shells explode
killing all inside:
hoisting
blown burned squad
in tank’s bladder,
plug leaks with cave blood:
there were no caves for them to hide—
In the Projects
Slung basketballs at Jeffries
House with some welfare kids
weaving in their figure eight hunger.
Mama asked if I was taking anything?
I rolled up my sleeves:
no tracks, mama:
“black-medal-man ain’t street-poisoned,”
militants called:
“he’s an electronic nigger!”
“Better keep electronic nigger 'way.”
Electronic Nigger?
Mama, unplug me, please.
A White Friend Flies In from the Coast
Burned
—black by birth,
burned
—armed with .45,
burned
—submachine gun,
burned
—STAC hunted VC,
burned
—killing 5-20,
burned
—nobody know for sure;
burned
—out of ammo,
burned
—killed one with gun-stock,
burned
—VC AK-47 jammed,
burned
—killed faceless VC,
burned
—over and over,
burned
—STAC subdued by three men,
burned
—three shots: morphine,
burned
—tried killing prisoners,
burned
—taken to Pleiku,
burned
—held down, straitjacket,
burned
—whites owe him, hear?
burned
—I owe him, here.
Mama’s Report
“Don’t fight, honey,
don’t let ’em catch you.”
Tour over, gear packed,
hospital over, no job.
“Aw man, nothin' happened,”
explorer, altar boy—
Maybe it’s ’cause they killed people
and don’t know why they did?
My boy had color slides of dead people,
stacks of dead Vietnamese.
MP’s asked if he’d been arrested
since discharge, what he’d been doin’:
“Lookin’ at slides,
looking’ at stacks of slides, mostly.”
Fifteen minutes later a colonel called
from the Defense Department, said he’d won the medal;
could he be in Washington with his family,
maybe he’d get a job now; he qualified.
The Democrats had lost, the president said;
there were signs of movement in Paris:
Fixing Certificates:???Dog Tags:???Letters Home
Our heliteam had mid-air blowout
dropping flares—5 burned alive.
The children carry hand
grenades to and from piss tubes.
Staring at tracer bullets
rice is the focal point of war.
On amphibious raid, our heliteam
found dead VC with maps of our compound.
On morning sick call you unzip;
before you piss you get a smear.
“VC reamed that
mustang
a new asshole”—
even at movies: “no round-eye pussy no more”—
Tympanic membrane damage: high gone—
20-40 db loss mid-frequencies.
Scrub-typhus, malaria, dengue fever, cholera;
rotting buffalo, maggoted dog, decapped children.
Bangkok: amber dust, watches, C-rations,
elephanthide billfolds, cameras, smack.
Sand&tinroof bunkers, 81/120 mm:
“Health record terminated this date by reason of death.”
Vaculoated amoeba, bacillary dysentery, hookworm;
thorazine, tetracycline, darvon for diarrhea.
'
Conitus
’: I wanna go home to mama;
Brown’s mixture, ETH with codeine, cortisone skin-creams.
Written on helipad fantail 600 bed
Repose
;
“no purple heart, hit by ’nother marine.”
“Vascular repair, dissection, debridement”:
sharp bone edges, mushy muscle, shrapnel: stainless bucket.
Bodies in polyethylene bag: transport:
'Tan San Nhat Mortuary’
Blood, endotracheal tube, prep
abdomen, mid-chest to scrotum—
“While you’re fixin' me doc,
can you fix them ingrown hairs on my face?”
“They didn’t get my balls, did they?”
50 mg thorazine—“Yes they did, marine!”
Street-Poisoned
Swans loom on the playground
swooning in the basket air,
the nod of their bills
in open flight, open formation.
Street-poisoned, a gray mallard
skims into our courtyard with a bag:
And he poisons them—
And he poisons them—
Electronic-nigger-recruiter,
my pass is a blade
near the sternum
cutting in:
you can make this a career.
Patches itch on my chest and shoulders—
I powder them with phisohex
solution from an aerosol can:
you can make this a career.
Pickets of insulin dab the cloudy
hallways in a spray.
Circuits of change
march to an honor guard—
I am prancing:
I am prancing:
you can make this a career.
Makin’ Jump Shots
He waltzes into the lane
’cross the free-throw line,
fakes a drive, pivots,
floats from the asphalt turf
in an arc of black light,
and sinks two into the chains.
One on one he fakes
down the main, passes
into the free lane
and hits the chains.
A sniff in the fallen air—
he stuffs it through the chains
riding high:
“traveling” someone calls—
and he laughs, stepping
to a silent beat, gliding
as he sinks two into the chains.
Debridement:???Operation Harvest Moon:???On Repose
The sestina traces a circle in language and body.
Stab incision below nipple,
left side; insert large chest tube;
sew to skin, right side;
catch blood from tube
in gallon drain bottle.
Wash abdomen with phisohex;
shave; spray brown iodine prep.
Stab incision below sternum
to symphis pubis
catch blood left side;
sever reddish brown spleen
cut in half; tie off blood supply;
check retroperitoneal,
kidney, renal artery bleeding.
Dissect lateral wall
abdominal cavity; locate kidney;
pack colon, small intestine;
cut kidney; suture closely;
inch by inch check bladder,
liver, abdominal wall, stomach:
25 units blood, pressure down.
Venous pressure: 8; lumbar
musculature, lower spinal column
pulverized; ligate blood vessels,
right forearm; trim meat, bone ends;
tourniquet above fracture, left arm;
urine, negative: 4 hours; pressure
unstable; remove shrapnel flecks.
Roll on stomach; 35 units blood;
pressure zero; insert plastic blood
containers, pressure cuffs; pump chest
drainage tube; wash wounds sterile
saline; dress six-inch ace wraps;
wrap both legs, toe to groin; left arm
plaster, finger to shoulder: 40 units blood.
Pressure, pulse, respiration up;
remove bloody gowns; scrub; redrape;
5 cc vitamin K; thorazine: sixth
laparotomy; check hyperventilation;
stab right side incision below nipple;
insert large chest tube; catch blood drain bottle ...
The Family of Debridement
Theory: Inconvenienced subject will return to hospital
if loaned Thunderbird
Withdrawn. Hope: Subject returns,
Treatment:
Foreclosure for nine months unpaid mortgage;
wife tells subject hospital wants deposit,
Diseased cyst removal:
'Ain’t you gonna give me a little kiss good-bye’
Subject-wife: To return with robe and curlers—
Subject tells friend he’ll pay $15 to F’s stepfather
if he’ll drive him to pick up money owed him.
“This guy lives down the street,
I don’t want him to see me coming.”
“It looked odd for a car filled with blacks
to be parked in the dark in a white neighborhood,
so we pulled the car out under a streetlight
so everybody could see us.”
Store manager: “I first hit him with two bullets
so I pulled the trigger until my gun was empty.”
“I’m going to kill you, you white MF,” store manager
told police. Police took cardload, F and F’s parents for
further questioning. Subject died on operating table: 5 hrs:
Subject buried on grass slope, 200 yards
east of Kennedy Memorial,
overlooking Potomac and Pentagon,
to the south,
Arlington National Cemetery.
Army honor guard
in dress blues,
carried out assignment
with precision:
Analysis and Interpretation of the Poem
This poem is a powerful, raw, and vivid exploration of war, trauma, identity, and survival. It weaves together fragmented images and intense emotions, presenting a narrative that moves between the battlefield, personal memories, and the harsh realities of life after combat.
Meaning and Themes
The poem opens with visceral imagery — "Groceries ring in my intestines" — which immediately grounds the reader in a physical, almost painful reality. The poet challenges conventional definitions ("grits ain't groceries / eggs ain't poultry") and disrupts expectations, suggesting a world out of order or misunderstood.
The references to war are stark and brutal: ambushes, destroyed tanks, soldiers burning, and the relentless presence of death. The speaker's experience in Vietnam, with mentions of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, Cambodia, and the intense combat situations, reveals the chaos and horror of war. The repeated phrase "there were no caves for them to hide" emphasizes the vulnerability and exposure of soldiers.
The poem also explores the psychological scars of war. The speaker is "electronic nigger," a term reflecting alienation and the complex identity struggles faced by Black veterans. The narrative portrays the disconnect between the battlefield and home, the lack of understanding from society, and the internal battles with trauma.
The poem’s latter sections delve into medical trauma — surgeries, debridement, and the physical toll of injuries — highlighting the fragility of the human body and the painful process of healing. The imagery of blood, shrapnel, and medical procedures contrasts with moments of surreal or symbolic imagery, such as "swans loom on the playground" and "making jump shots," which may symbolize fleeting moments of peace or normalcy.
Poetic Techniques
- Imagery: The poem uses vivid, often violent imagery to evoke the sensory experience of war and trauma.
- Fragmentation: The poem’s structure is fragmented, mirroring the fractured mental state of the speaker.
- Repetition: Phrases like "burned" and "hoisting" create a rhythmic intensity and emphasize the relentless nature of violence.
- Juxtaposition: Contrasts between innocence (children playing basketball) and brutality (war, injury) highlight the poem’s emotional depth.
Background and Author
This poem is reminiscent of the works of Vietnam War poets who sought to capture the raw, unfiltered experience of combat and its aftermath. Many such poets were veterans themselves, using poetry as a means to process trauma and critique the political and social contexts of the war.
The poem’s focus on racial identity and alienation suggests the author may be a Black veteran, reflecting on both the external conflict of war and the internal conflict of racial identity in America during and after the Vietnam era.
Reflection and Personal Response
Reading this poem is a challenging experience. It confronts the reader with harsh realities and forces an engagement with themes of violence, loss, and identity. The fragmented style demands active interpretation, mirroring the complexity of trauma itself.
The poem evokes empathy for veterans and a deeper understanding of the psychological and physical costs of war. It also raises important questions about societal recognition, racial injustice, and the difficulties of reintegration after combat.
Educational Value and Learning Points
Students and children can learn several important lessons from this poem:
- Historical Context: Understanding the Vietnam War, its impact on soldiers, and its social implications.
- Empathy and Trauma: Gaining insight into the psychological effects of war and the struggles of veterans.
- Poetic Devices: Identifying imagery, repetition, fragmentation, and how these convey meaning and emotion.
- Critical Thinking: Analyzing complex themes such as identity, alienation, and the contrast between innocence and violence.
Applications in Life and Learning
- Discussion of War and Peace: Using the poem as a starting point for conversations about the costs of war and the importance of peace.
- Mental Health Awareness: Highlighting the need for support and understanding for those with trauma.
- Cultural and Racial Identity: Exploring how identity affects experiences and perceptions in society.
- Creative Writing: Encouraging students to express complex emotions through poetry and fragmented narratives.
Reading Comprehension Questions
- What is the significance of the phrase "there were no caves for them to hide" in the poem?
- How does the poet use imagery to convey the experience of war? Give two examples.
- What does the term "electronic nigger" suggest about the speaker’s identity and experience?
- Describe how the poem portrays the physical and psychological effects of war on the speaker.
- Why do you think the poem includes scenes of everyday life, such as playing basketball, alongside war imagery?
- What role do medical procedures and injuries play in the poem’s narrative?
- How does the poem challenge traditional ideas of heroism and valor?
- What emotions does the poem evoke in you as a reader? Explain your response.
- How does the poem’s fragmented structure affect your understanding of the speaker’s experience?
- What lessons about war and society can readers learn from this poem?
Answers to Reading Comprehension Questions
- The phrase emphasizes the vulnerability and exposure of soldiers during combat, highlighting that there was nowhere safe to hide from the enemy.
- The poet uses vivid and brutal imagery such as "five impaled men loop their ribbons ’round my neck" and "tank artillery shells explode killing all inside" to convey the horror and violence of war.
- The term reflects the speaker’s feeling of alienation and the intersection of race and military identity, suggesting a dehumanizing label imposed by others.
- The poem shows physical effects through descriptions of wounds, surgeries, and blood loss, while psychological effects are conveyed through fragmented memories, alienation, and trauma.
- These scenes contrast innocence and normal life with the brutality of war, emphasizing the disruption and loss caused by conflict.
- Medical procedures symbolize the physical cost of war and the painful process of survival and recovery.
- The poem questions traditional valor by showing the chaos, fear, and suffering behind medals and ribbons, suggesting that heroism is complex and often tragic.
- Answers will vary; readers may feel sadness, shock, empathy, or discomfort due to the poem’s raw depiction of war and trauma.
- The fragmented structure mirrors the speaker’s fractured mental state and the disjointed nature of traumatic memory.
- Readers learn about the harsh realities of war, the struggles of veterans, and the importance of understanding and compassion in society.
This poem is a profound work that offers rich material for study and reflection, helping readers to engage deeply with history, human experience, and the power of poetic expression.
