In the poem "Facing It," Yusef Komunyakaa, an African-American, solemnly reflects over his experience serving in the Vietnam War while on a visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The highly controversial and widely publicized war has long been known to have lasting and profound impacts on returning veterans on which the poet sheds tremendous light upon. The central theme of the poem is clearly evident from the beginning lines: .
My black face fades,.
hiding inside the black granite.
I said I wouldn't,.
dammit: No tears (1-4). .
Throughout the poem, the author remains in constant conflict with the reconciliation between his past experience and present environment while subtly acknowledging the role that his race played in the war. As the poem progresses, Komunyakaa struggles to contain his emotions as his past trials come back to life through a series of flashbacks. With deft application of literary devices, Komunyakaa allows the reader to receive an insight into how the long-lasting effects of war can impact the psyche of a veteran. In a poignant recollection of his traumatizing experience in the Vietnam War, Komunyakaa uses vivid imagery, dynamic metaphor, and other poetic techniques to tackle not only his conflicted feelings towards the War, but also, more ingeniously, the force race played during his time of service.
In his first encounter with the Memorial, Komunyakaa immediately forges a connection between himself and the monument as his "black face fades, hiding inside the black granite" (2). This specific mention of color is not done cursorily. The poet, an African American, and the black monument share a commonality in terms of hue; however, Komunyakaa's own distinct features become lost within the magnitude of the monument and they become one. .
This merging of the two identities is not depthless. His face not only "fades" but is "hiding" within the stone, signifying a deeper sentimental connection to the site.