Monday, May 24, 2010

E-learning: Task 1 Children in the Darkness

Based on your understanding of the selected poem, perform extensive web research and write a report detailing the conflict represented in the poem(s) of your choice. Bear in mind that this piece of background information will allow your blog audience to further understand the poem as well as your analysis of the poem in Task 2.

The poet was in Vietnam in 1967 - 68 and again in 1969. He had witnessed part of the Vietnam War. He goes back often because he feels that his soul lives in Vietnam and he goes back to visit it from time to time.

He was sitting in his hotel room in Saigon just before Christmas 2009. At that time, he looked at the TV and the news was on. He could not understand what the news reader was saying but in the background there was a photo of a small boy with a helmet and an automatic rifle. This poem flowed out of him in an instant and he typed it down.

This poem shows the plight of child soldiers who are forced into fighting a war. These child soldiers have no freedom and they have no childhood. Their life is bleak and many lose their lives fighting in wars. The poem shows how cruelly these children are treated. They are not given education but instead are used as weapons of war. These children hate their lives, but there is no escape for them.

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