blog 4

I loved the poem Camouflaging the Chimera. It just really sucked me in, right from the start. I liked how Komunyakaa didn’t simply describe the place from the standpoint of just observation, but rather showed the reader what the place was like by manipulating certain things about the place as they used it to their own benefit, specifically for camouflage. I also loved how the place became less literal as the poem progressed. It began with the branches in their helmets and the mud on their faces, but soon progressed into things like “chameleons crawled our spines/ changing from day to night,” and “till the moon touched metal.” These are not directly describing the place, not literally, but the characters are still interacting with the place through this language. I think this versatile language really called me through the poem, plus it’s just plain beautiful to read. This poem also seems to be about some things that are not, should not, be beautiful, but I think that describing it in this way gives the situation a dire sense of serenity, and I find that extremely successful and enjoyable.