“Facing It”, written by Yusef Komunyakaa, tells a story of the long list of names on the granite Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C. The speaker is able to show a great deal of emotion which was able to bring forth emotions in me. After reading this poem I was filled with feelings of gratefulness, sadness, and pride. My grandfather is a veteran of the Vietnam War and I remember when I was a young child making visits to my grandparents house seeing my grandfather in uniform posted in frames on the walls. I remember seeing an American flag folded and laying peacefully in a glass box. At this time in my life I didn't realize the significance of these symbols, but as I have grown older I have realized the significance of what my grandfather did. I remember as a young child walking past the Vietnam Memorial happily looking for my grandfathers name only to find “Carl Taylor” was no where to be found. Today, I am now ecstatic that my grandfather was one of the lucky ones to not have his names etched in that granite for eternity. My grandfather is the finest man I know and is the only true father figure in my life, and I know he was spared for a reason. Much like that …show more content…
It seemed to me that the speaker believes the memorial is more than large pieces of dark, cold granite rising above the ground, but rather something with a deeper meaning. These names aren't just etchings of individuals in American history put on a rock, but rather heroes boldly standing firm in granite that allow these names to never be forgotten. This is the type of emotion I would express if I would see “Carl Taylor” etched in that stone. War is so unfair when some individuals are lucky enough to see another day, when others are not so lucky. I take pride in my country knowing no matter how unfair life may be there are individuals that will risk there life to better the cause of liberty. Therefore, I also salute these citizens as