War Photographer

• spools of suffering set out in ordered rows

  This metaphor shows that Duffy defines those photos as ones that have been through pain and trauma and how the agonies of war were silenced. It's almost like the photos are alive and still haunting him, showing how he has PTSD from it even though he wasn't a soldier but a mere spectator. The extent and magnitude of suffering he witnessed portray the brutality of war. The sibilance creates a sinister tone emphasising his distress even though he is far away physically. Duffy cannot detach from what he observed.
• spools of suffering set out in ordered rows

  It could also be said that Duffy longs for a calm, quiet and serene environment after witnessing the loud chaos in the warzone. He desperately tries to gain control of himself and his emotions and this is portrayed by the juxtaposition of the ordered rows with the chaos of war. His disorientated emotions are reinforced through the enjambment which makes it seem like his emotions are pouring onto the page. The ordered rows could also symbolise the coffins with dead soldiers.
• The only light is red and softly glows as though this were a church and he a priest preparing to intone a Mass


  The colour imagery of red is used which has connotations of violence, blood and death and it’s almost like the trauma has followed him back home. Light usually gives hope but it’s shining ‘softly’ so there is very little comfort he can find. He also explicitly describes how the ‘darkroom’ acts as a church in the man’s life. He looks to his darkroom for peace, guidance, and hope like the way people look to God.
• The only light is red and softly glows as though this were a church and he a priest preparing to intone a Mass

  Furthermore, there are parallels between a priest and a war photographer as they are both exposed to suffering and death and this adds a sense of purity and righteousness to the photographer. He gives the victims the burial and dignity they were denied due to the brutality of war
• the blood stained into foreign dust

  Imagery is used to contrast and convey the horror and tragedy of war. ‘Blood’ suggests pain, injury, and death, while the word stained implies a permanent mark or damage and illustrates the lasting impact of war on the surroundings. The effects of war outlive the last battle and it’s hard to remove them. It also shows how humans are destroying nature.
• the blood stained into foreign dust


  Dust contrasts the familiar and safe home of the photographer with the distant and dangerous land. The word ‘dust’ also implies dryness, barrenness, and decay and shows how the photographer’s job exposes him to the realities of war that most people do not see or care about. The line also questions the morality and purpose of his profession, as he takes pictures of people’s suffering and death
• He stares impassively at where he earns his living and they do not care

  The monosyllabic phrase is simple and ambiguous and goes against the rest of the poem. He feels like his work and photographs are pointless as no one cares about the impact of war on both nature and individuals. He earns his living by capturing the suffering of others, but the people who see his photos do not care enough to make a change and could perhaps suggest that he feels guilty for using other’s suffering to make money.
• He stares impassively at where he earns his living and they do not care

  The line also implies a contrast between the photographer’s emotions and the emotions of his subjects. He stares ‘impassively’, meaning he does not show any feelings, while the people in his photographs are in pain, fear, or grief. The line reflects the poet’s message that war is a terrible reality that most people ignore or forget