Responding to a poem

I chose the poems “Rite of Passage” by Sharon Olds and “Songs of Napalm” by Brue Weigl. In the poem “Rite of Passage” the author is describing the way she feels on her son’s first grade Birthday Party. She explains in the poem how she feels her son is becoming a man. Olds refers to the first graders as, “Short men, men in first grade / with smooth jaws and chins,” ( lines 3,4). Observing their behaviors and gestures and comparing them to grown men. She continues on with how competitive the boys are, and compares them to business men in the corporate world. “They clear their / throats a lot, a room of small bankers, / they fold there arms and frown, (Olds Lines 10,11,12). She looks at her son and is reminded of his innocence. “My son, / freckles like specks of nutmeg on his checks“, (Olds Lines 15,16). As the “Host” her son become the peace maker and tries to calm the competitive boys, she again see them as mature beings able to fight there own battles.
As a mother I watch my kids grow from birthday to birthday and it amazes me how fast they grow. As for thinking that a child at the age of six or seven is a transition to adulthood is a little bit of a stretch. In the Jewish tradition, at the age of 13 they celebrate the rite of passage with a Bar Mitzvah and with Hispanic origin, they celebrate rite of passage with a Quinceanera. Even in the U.S., we here stories of sweet sixteen, but not at the age of six. Everyone mature with age but to say that a child at the age of six or seven is going thought the right of passage is a little over the top.
The “Song of Napalm” is about a mans story of a tragedy hthat tragic day. “ After the storm, after the rain stopped pound”, Weigl says, comparing the war to a storm, (line 1). He talks about how every time he closes his eyes he sees a vision of a village girl being bombed nearby. “Still I close my eyes and see the girl / Running from her village, napalm /Stuck to her dress like jelly / Her hands reaching for no one / Who waits in waves of heat before her.”, (Weigl lines 13,14,15,16,17). Unable to get the image of this tragic day out of his mind.
This is a very sad poem. It goes to show what soldiers go though after seeing terrible things that happen in war. I have the most respect for the soldiers who have fought for are freedom. e witnessed. He dedicates the poem to his wife and is explaining to her what he saw and how he felt on