Task 2

Rainbow Death

America did not foresee
Green, pink, purple and other colors death potpourri!
Expecting others to pay a high price.
Now thinking twice?
Toll on the innocent and unborn.

Omnipotent and disregarding who will mourn.
Reflective about all the illness, birth defects and prematurely dead.
All the deceit continues to spread.
Nefariously America led astray -
Generations untold WILL pay -
Execrable effects of agent orange spray!


1.Point of View
This poem could have been written in the point of view of someone who has gone through the Vietnam war and seen the effects 'Agent Orange' have on the Vietnamese people. The person is able to know that the 'America did not forsee' that the 'Agent Orange' not only destroyed plants but also harmed the people, the 'innocent and unborn', causing illness, birth defects and significant amount of deaths.



2.Situation and Setting
The setting is after the 'Agent Orange' has been used and the effects could be seen on the innocent people. The poet mentions of 'toll on the innocent and unborn', 'omnipotent and disregarding who will mourn' and 'illness, born defects and prematurely dead', showing that he had seen the side effects of the 'Agent Orange' beside destroying crops - it also has harmful effects on the people who were exposed to it. He also regretted that 'Agent Orange' was used in the war as could be seen from 'Now thinking twice', showing that he was having second thoughts about 'Agent Orange' being used since the herbicide caused devastating effects on the innocent Vietnamese.



3.Language/Diction
In the title, rainbow itself symbolises something positive as in Bible, it means the symbol of God's everlasting agreement with the mankind that never will there be floods that will destroy all lives. Besides that, it also means to serve as a bridge between heaven and earth. Death means something negative since it is most feared by us. By putting rainbow and death together does not really make sense but in this case, it could mean that the rainbow herbicides cause many deaths of people, including innocent people, resulting them to cross the bridge to heaven.


4.Personal Response
This poem has invoke my sympathy for the innocent Vietnamese that were affected by the herbicides used by the Americans, and it seems to be blaming the America for using the herbicides as it was referred to as "nefariously" which means wicked. America also made other to pay a high price by causing illness, birth defects and toll on the innocent and unborn, making younger generations pay with their lives and bodies.