Poetry Discussion: Thanks by Yusef Komunyakaa

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Part 1: Poetry Discussion
“Thanks” by Yusef Komunyakaa
The chosen poem from Poetry 180 is poem 005, “Thanks” by Yusef Komunyakaa. The
poem commences with Komunyakaa thanking the tree for shieling him from the sniper’s bullet.
The poet is thanking this tree for preventing him from being shot. The main subject is that
Komunyakaa is making a statement regarding his beliefs and the Vietnam War. The theme is the
Komunyakaa’s resentment for the war and what sent him to the war be it political or spiritual.
However, it is only after in-depth dissection of the poem that I commenced to understand the
standpoint of the poet. I started to comprehend whether Komunyakaa is talking about God’s
absent in Vietnam War or he is denouncing religion.
In specific ways, the poem remained hard for me to interpret as it appeared to be a
hopeless kind of story regarding a young man in the Vietnam War. This young man gives is
thanking objects as if they remained the reason he never got shot or tripped over the landmine.
However, as I deeply analyzed the poem and flashbacked at Vietnam War, and recalled how
many soldiers came out it besides how much American public felt about the war, I understood
that the poem was all about the Komunyakaa’s resentment for Vietnam War and those who sent
him to the War. However, externally, I could easily interpret a religious subject or theme, and a

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nearly prayer-like poem to the Almighty God. Nonetheless, I as delved more in-depth, I could
see a roughly opposite situation, absence of God in Vietnam War.