martyr


they would say

that's the house of a martyr

pointing with their nose

that's the ther of a martyr

The use words to change the focus was really interesting in this stanza. The way the poet describes the relations to the martyr is interesting because they don't directly talk about the martyr.

wounds received


DIED OF WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION.

they budgeted for the phone call
to your mother and weighed that

against the amount saved in rations
and your taste for cigarettes

In this poem I enjoyed the way in which there was certain text that was emphasized through the use of capitals and italics.

The way in which the poet compared the value of the life of a soldier to rations and a mother's love created a comparison that brought another perspective of how different the value of life was.

at war


according to most
definitions, I have never been at war.

+ + +

according to mine,
most of my life spent there

Another example of how the author uses comparison to create a better understanding for the audience.

photo


each photo is an absence,
a thing gone, namely

In reflection i think the use of comparison by the author was really effective overall. In this case she did well to describe the photo is an object to describe the memory of something.