What Were They Like

• “Did they hold ceremonies/ to reverence the opening of buds? /Were they inclined to quiet laughter?”
• “Did they use bone and ivory, /jade and silver, for ornament? /Had they an epic poem?”
• “Sir their light hearts turned to stone”
• “Sir, laughter is bitter to the burned mouth […] All the bones were charred”
• “Their life /was in rice and bamboo. /When peaceful clouds […] and the water buffalo […] When bombs smashed those mirrors /there was time only to scream”
• “Their speech which was like a song […] resembled /the flight of moths in moonlight. /Who can say? It is silent now.”
• • During 1960s, there was developing social & cultural freedoms – so increased questioning of the accepted authority (included protesting against American involvement in affairs of Vietnam)
  • Levertov became involved as an activist AGAINST the Vietnam War
  • Vietnam War (1955-1975) was long & destructive conflict between communist government (in North Vietnam with support from communist Russia) & South Vietnam (main ally – US).
  • High death toll + destroyed much of Vietnamese culture --> Napalm gas was used in the war.