Rainbow Death

Task 1
In the poem Rainbow Death, the name "agent orange" was mentioned.
"Agent Orange" is the code name for one of the herbicides and defoliants used by the U.S. military in its herbicidal warfare program during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971. Along with "agent orange", many other killer chemicals were used during the war, creating a rainbow that kills many, thus the title "Rainbow Death".

During the Vietnam war, the United States military sprayed 20,000,000 US gallons of chemical herbicides and defoliants in Vietnam. Agent Orange made up about sixty percent of these herbicides. The concentrations used were 20 to 55 times it took to kill plants.

Just by spraying these colours, America made the victims pay a very high price, not only killing the soldiers at that time, but also created many illnesses and birth defects for the future generations. Thus the line "toll on the innocent and unborn"

The poem Rainbow Deaths also criticised America, saying that they led the other countries astray.

Task 2

Point of View
The poem comes from an intellectual point of view. The poet himself, was a victim of chemical warfare, and thus would not like the US for causing it. The poet suffered Parkinson type tremors, severe headaches, progressive limb pains and many other undesirable conditions. Thus, the speakers words does not really show his empathy towards those who were victims of these chemicals, but rather his anger towards America for causing his pain.

Situation and Setting
The poem describes the Vietnam war. The poet shows his anger towards America, for harming the innocent and the future generations of those victims of the war. The conflict in the poem is both external and internal. There is external conflict, the war going on, with many deaths happening, as well as internal conflict within the speaker's mind.

Language/ Diction
The language used in the poem Rainbow Deaths contributed much to its theme. It has also greatly directed us to its central idea that war is bad in all ways. Firstly, America was personified in the line "America did not foresee" followed by a rhetorical question in "now thinking twice?" This shows the sarcasm the speaker directed at America stating that she had done wrong, and should have thought twice before doing what had been done. The "WILL" in line 10 is also capitalised to emphasise that what America had done not only affected the soldiers in the battlefield, but also the many generations to come. It emphasised that they will certainly pay, and that they will pay deeply for a mistake they did not make.

Personal Response
I feel that war is harsh and kills many innocent lives. The Vietnam War caused many people to be killed and made the future generations pay the price of something they did not do as they face the after effects of Agent Orange. Hence I share the same sentiments as the writer that we have to think twice before starting a war as wars are not over when the war is over. The effects of the war will remain and harm our future generations which are innocent, we should not make them pay for what we had done.

Resources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_Orange
http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/2010warpoetry.html

I would give you change.

In an election speech made not so long ago, a politician committed himself to change. He promised his people, of the change he would get for them.
The change for the better.
A change of how things work.
A change of the world.

Many a times, politicians, or even students running for high school president may have promised huge changes to their people. Many a times, in election speeches, the phrase "I would give you change", would appear. Is that what they will really give? Is that what you will really get? Is that, a change in others that they are aiming for?

We often make this mistake, that others will change to suit us. We often make this mistake, that change will have come to others yet not to us. We crawl before we walk. We learn numbers before we are able to learn algebra. We must fix ourselves before we can fix others. Like Micheal Jackson once named his song, "Start with the man in the mirror". If you want to make a change in anything, be it something as big as the community around you, or something as personal as your lifestyle, wouldn't the place you have to begin with always yourself? It would never be you parents, your friends, your teachers, or anyone around you. All changes begins with you. It will always be inside out. Not outside in.

Here is a poem that demonstrates this.

When I was young and free and my

imagination had no limits, I dreamed of

changing the world;

As I grew older and wiser I realised the

world would not change.

And I decided to shorten my sights

somewhat and change only my country.

But it seemed to immovable.

As I entered my twilight years, in one last

desperate attempt, I sought to change

only my family, those closest to me, but

alas they would have none of it.

And now here I lie on my death bed and

realised perhaps for the first time that if

only I'd change myself first, then by

example I may have influenced my

family and with their encouragement

and support I may have bettered my

country, and who knows I may have

changed the world.