Two Poems

The first poem I chose was "Riddle"(238. pg 300). Riddle is a pretty straight forward poem asking us "Who killed the Jews?" the poem recalls the holocaust and uses it's refrain to ask a rhetorical question as to who is to blame for the genocide. The poem points out how Germans in the time period all claimed to have no direct involvement with the holocaust itself and the killing of the Jews. However, the poem lists the various things that people had done during the time that lays the blame on all of them in an equal manner. "and some had planted the wheat, and some poured the steel, and some cleared the rails, ... Who killed the Jews?" It uses repetition in multiple stanzas to emphasize and drive home the fact that so many people didn't want to garner blame for the horrific deeds of the Holocaust but as with all rhetorical questions the questions "Who killed the Jews" implies that in pouring the steel or laying the wheat all of the German people have to accept some sort of blame for what went on.

I agree with the poet in some respects that all of these people have something to own up to in a way, and that few Germans were really rushing to save the Jews and rather carried on in assisting a regime (albeit indirectly) in the mass killing. It seems that the poet is critical of people like Albert Speer who were "just doing their job" yet helping to arm Hitler's forces- who betrayed their conscience to adhere to an immoral authority. However even with that I think that some common folk who were just "clearing the rails" or "raising the cattle" really had much of a choice when it meant that or survival.

 The second poem I analyzed was "The warden said to me" (250. pg311). I chose this poem because it is straightforward, short and sweet. Magnificent to the English student. Ok, well this one has an easy meaning. A man is in jail and he asked by his warden why the Black prisoners don't run away from jail like the white one's do. The prisoner answers "...we ain't got no wheres to run to." This is obviously Alluding to the fact that pre-civil rights America was essentially a prison for African-Americans, as their rights were limited in ever aspect of their lives. So, being in jail or being "free" wasn't much of a difference for them. The line "innocently, I think," is repeated twice before the two characters in the poem speak. I think this just emphasizes the fact that neither of these characters feel much animosity towards one another but more of a general frankness and perhaps even the beginnings of empathy in the warden (Who's inital question to the prisoner is an interesting thing to ask given their setting.).

I like this poem. It's straightforward and get's to the point. I'm kind of a fan of John Steinbeck so I appreciate colloquial diction like "suh" and "got no wheres" + "why come". I feel like it just gives you a much better feel for the setting in a poem, and helps illuminate the time period and the relationship between the two guys.