Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, CONDEMNATION, by THICH NHAT-HANH


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

CONDEMNATION, by             Poem Explanation     Poet Analysis    
First Line: Listen to this: %yesterday six vietcong came through my village
Last Line: If we kill men, what brothers will we have left? %with whom shall we live then?
Subject(s): Social Protest


Listen to this:
yesterday six Vietcong came through my village.
Because of this my village was bombed - completely destroyed.
Every soul was killed.
...
Here in the presence of the undisturbed stars,
in the invisible presence of all the people still alive on earth,
let me raise my voice to denounce this filthy war,
this murder of brothers by brothers!
I have question: Who pushed us into this killing of one another?
Whoever is listening, be my witness!
I cannot accept this war.
I never could, I never shall.
I must say this a thousand times before I am killed.
...
Men cannot be our enemies - even men called 'Vietcong!'
If we kill men, what brothers will we have left?
With whom shall we live then?






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