Lunch On Omaha Beach : An Essay on literary devices

            For the average person it can be quite difficult to try and fathom the horrors of war. Many writers and poets have tried to communicate their position on war through various works. The poem " Lunch on Omaha Beach" by Bink Noll depicts a soldier's experience of the D-Day invasion and also describes the soldiers visit to Omaha Beach post D-Day. By contrasting between present day Omaha beach and the past D-Day invasion , Bink Noll expresses his feelings of resentment towards World War II and finally comes to accept human nature and the inevitability of war in his poem "Lunch on Omaha Beach.".
             Noll's title choice for the poem," Lunch on Omaha Beach" ,is a stark contrast from the actual text of the poem. The title of the poem reminds one of a vacation spent at a sunny beach where all things were joyful. The title of this poem is obviously used to express the lighter, post D-Day side of the contrast. To juxtapose a lunch on a beach that was once a bloody battle field is a severe contrast. This contrast makes the readers of this poem feel uncomfortable due to the fact that people generally do not spend leisure time at sites where many deaths once took place. Noll wanted to startle the readers of this poem with his provocative and alarming contrast. The contrast within the title properly clarifies Noll's later acceptance of the war.
             Imagery is used in the poem to illustrate both past and present and to reinforce Noll's feelings of resentment and acceptance of the war. It is far more challenging for a reader of this poem to imagine a gory war scene than a pleasant day at a beach ,so imagery is used. "Watching, I wonder at the white quiet" This quote illustrates the present-day, serene Omaha Beach which is completely different from the battle field it once was. Apparently, this is another comparison between past and present. This quote also expresses Noll's feeling of resignation for the war.