English Notes
February 10, 2015
Review of Brian Turner Poetry
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Poetry of Brian Turner from his book Here, Bullet.
War poetry  consider connections to The Things They Carried and M*A*S*H
Consider 2 road of interpretation:
1st what is literal
2nd what is figurative (secondary meaning—not just what is on the surface)
Turner incorporates Arabic, Iraqi culture, parts of the Koran, situations from his life as a soldier
Turner can be a soldier and criticize the war—he experienced it. (Think about how difficult it is
for a civilian to critique war.)
When you are reading the poems, determine the following:
1. What is the subject?
2. What is the author saying about the subject?
When you analyze each stanza consider:
1. What’s happening?
2. Key uses of imagery—underline them
3. Identify major themes
“At Lowes Home Improvement Center”
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Speaker of the poem is standing in an aisle in Lowes and busts open a 50 pound box of nails—
when they hit the floor it reminds him of firing pins from M-4s and M-16s
Speaker connects the nails falling to a dream/flashback/memory of Baghdad. He imagines a
soldier, Bosch, walking a 10 year old down the aisle only to return back to the war.
Plywood drops, mower blades and ceiling fans remind the speaker of a Blackhawk or Apache
helicopters.
Speaker imagines a Sergeant handing him an arm to find the arm’s owner
Speaker hears cash registers open and shut—sounds like machine guns being charged. It is
difficult to assimilate into civilian life. Perspective from soldier to civilian shifts—might not want
to read landscaping or home improvement magazines.
Speaker imagines dead Iraqi walking down the aisle, an Iraqi boy writing T for tourniquet (way to
stop blood) on his forehead.
“2000 lbs.”
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First Stanza: Perspective of man going to detonate (set off) a bomb
Lives have been taken over by war
Sefwan, taxi driver, lights a cigarette, thinks of his love before the bomb goes off—love of her
shows that love can exist even in a war torn country. Even the couple in front of the bridals
shop experiences love (idealized love) that is shattered. Love can be alive. People can continue
to live their lives in the midst of chaos, war, bloodshed.
Point of view—that of the Iraqi people (differs from the point-of-view of The Things They
Carried).
Sgt. Ledouix: can’t hear (bomb blew out his eardrums), he has shrapnel in his ribcage, he will
bleed to death in minutes, a woman’s hand touches his face (gentleness), he looks at a wedding
ring on his crushed hand
Rasheed and Sefa—husband and wife riding bikes, looking in bridal shop windows when the
blast hits juxtaposition of a happy couple/war and destruction
Lt. Jackson—civil affairs officer, was blowing bubbles out the back of the Humvee (hopeful,
gentleness of blowing bubbles for kids vs. outcome of destruction). His hands are blown off.
juxtaposition--Innocence of blowing bubble for kids vs. being blown up
Old woman stanza: she holds her grandchild for the last time, the child will not get to grow old,
war has disrupted their lives. The child will not have a future. He will die without dignity and
respect.
Bomber—obliterated (blown up) in the center, he “is of all things” because he has been
obliterated everywhere. He, like God, took life into his hands—he is everywhere.
Last stanza: dead spirits walk around confused (peaceful ending, human will to love and want
comfort and consolation for their pain). They learn each other’s names. Habib – love, beloved—
souls speak this to one another.
Connect this to “The Man I Killed”—if the bomber knew the names of these people, would he
have bombed them? O’Brien creates a back story to the man he killed. Once he personalizes his
experience, it makes it more difficult to deal with the Vietcong soldier’s death.