Taboo --by Yusef Komunyakaa

Nonfiction / poetry

144 pages

5 stars

A tad apprehensive when I bought this book, leery of a whole book in three-line stanzas, I quickly became enamored with the writing. I didn’t understand some of it, I felt like I’d been invited to a party, and my date left me standing with strangers and expected me to know who they were a time or two, but mostly I knew the other guests and I never felt alone. 

These poems are different than the ones in Dien Cai Dau, the first of his books I purchased and read. Yusef Komunyakaa is a poet of many talents, and I look forward to reading more of his books.

This book is book one of The Wishbone Trilogy, what are the other two books? Are they written? Are they published?

Dien Cai Dau (Wesleyan Poetry Series) –by Yusef Komunyakaa

Nonfiction / Poetry / Vietnam War

72 pages / 916 KB

5 Stars

I had to look up Dien Cai Dau, in GI parlance it is Dinky Dau, or Crazy. Any book that sends me to the dictionary so I can understand the title is a great book!

Yusef Komunyakaa served in the 'Nam and these poems tell of his experiences. They are lyrical, easily read and understood by anyone, and paint vivid pictures not just of the boy-men as they went through the jungles, but also the boy-men as they found entertainment and pleasure when, where they could.

Someone owned this book before me, and I think used it in class, as there are notes, and in a couple of places notes on the notes. While there are those who would find this distracting, I found it sauce for the feast.

My tears supplied the salt.

If Viet Nam was your war, then this is a book for you to read. If you are too young to remember and or partaken of that war, then this is a good book for you to read and learn something about it from someone who had his boots on the ground.