what were they like?*

• what is anaphora and how is it used in the poem?

  • repetition used at the start of the line
  • repetition of "did they.."
• what structure is used?

  • free verse
  • question, responses
• how is ignorance shown in the poem?

  in the beginning, vietnam is misspelled, showing the ignorance of the american society
• what do they people in the poem appreciate?

  • beauty + simplicity of nature
  • communication + beauty of words
• who is the author?

  • denise levertov
  • anti-war activist with a jewish father
  • nurse in ww2
• what does the end of the poem highlight?

  not only the end of war but also the end of vietnam
• "lanterns of stone"


  lanterns made out of stone suggests an ancient civilisation (stone is a material which takes millennia to wear down). However, later in the poem, we will see the culture's destruction is almost instantaneous, "there was only time to scream".
• "their light hearts turned to stone"


  hearts turning to stone could be interpreted as their deadening after so much loss. It also reflects how the culture, once living has been petrified. It is now a lost civilisation.
• "who can say? It is silent now?"


  the final line refers back to the title question "what were they like?" After all this conjecture, the ultimate answer is "who can say?" The tone of the last line is flat. This flatness is created by the monosyllables. Perhaps the tone is flat because the devastation and destruction described is beyond all emotional expression.
• "rice and bamboo (...) peaceful clouds"


  the use of natural imagery aids the sense of sadness and loss. The peace and harmony suggested by this imagery is juxtaposed with the brutal end the Viatnamese people met.