War Photographer

• “In the darkroom he is finally alone”

  • Stillness of the darkroom provides sanctuary, from the chaos of war. Chance to reflect. “Finally” suggests he has been waiting on this moment.
• “With spools of suffering set out in ordered rows”

  • Alliteration of the soft ‘s’ contributes to calm, reflective, mood. Spools contain horrific images of war ‘ordered rows’ reminiscent of graves; idea of death, air of ritual similar to mass.
• “The only light is red and softly glows”

  • Red ‘safe light‘ compared with red sanctuary light that burns in Catholic Churches to signify presence of Christ.
• “Belfast. Beirut. Phnom Penh. All flesh is grass.”

  • Biblical quotation - ‘all flesh is grass… But the word of the lord will endure forever‘
  • Highlights how fragile life is
  • Place names of war zones replace words of service. Rhythm of sentences echoes chanting of prayers, full stops fix place in mind. Alliteration links places separated by distance but suffering in the same way.
• ”He has a job to do. Solutions slop in trays”

  • Feels his work is important
  • Solutions refer to chemicals used to develop photos. Metaphorically, might be suggesting these photographers are a solution to the problem of war, raising awareness may end suffering.
• ”beneath his hands which did not tremble then though seem to now”

  • Couldn’t allow himself to feel any emotion at the time, needed steady hands. However, feels emotional pain now.
• “Home again to ordinary pain”

  • We cannot comprehend their immense, torturous suffering.
• ”to fields which don’t explode beneath the feet of running children in a nightmare heat”

  • Reference to picture by Nick Ut of girl in Trang Bang burnt by napalm
• “A half-formed ghost”

  • Blurry, faint, outline of a photo develops before his eyes, reminiscent of a ghost. Reminder that this man is dead but still haunts the photographer who cannot escape the memory of his suffering.
• “He remembers the cries of this man’s wife, how he sought approval”

  • His sensitivity is shown as he is haunted by sound of woman’s pleas for her husband. He remembers his moral predicament, wants her to understand.
• “To do what someone must”

  • Enjambment and rhyming couplet emphasise the word ‘must‘, emphasising how important he feels his job is.
• “A hundred agonies in black and white”

  • Each photo holds immense pain; black and white - contrast of good and evil
• “from which his editor will pick out five or six”

  • Editor views them in casual manner. Selecting the best photo as opposed to looking at suffering.
• "The reader's eyeballs prick with tears between the bath and pre-lunch beers."

  • Readers also not interested. Feel sympathy for a brief moment then move on, cocooned in their safe environment.
• "From the aeroplane he stares impassively at where he earns his living and they do not care."

  • 'impassive' suggests photographer has no feeling for England: Cares more about war zones of the world. Rhyming couplet emphasises how shocked he is by the indifference of his homeland.