Poem Selected: Children in the Darkness

There are children in the darkness
Who have not seen the light
There are children in the darkness
Who someone will teach to fight

Chalk and blackboards will not be
To this door there is no key
From this life they can not flee
And these children are not free

Could we simply light a candle
Could we give them half a chance
Could we teach them how to read
Could we teach them how to dance

Or will a war consume them
Their body and their soul
Will their life and blood be poured
Down some endless thirsty hole

Back into the darkness
From which there is no flight
Back into the darkness
Into which there shines no light

Henry M Bechtold




Task 1
Based on your understanding of the selected poem, perform extensive web research and write a report detailing the conflict represented in the poem(s) of your choice. Bear in mind that this piece of background information will allow your blog audience to further understand the poem as well as your analysis of the poem in Task 2.

Henry was sitting in a hotel room in Saigon just before Christmas 2009 and was watching the news on the television. He noticed that in the background, there was a photo of a small boy with a helmet and rifle. He tried to write a poem about the girls who work in the park and how badly men treat them. He was angry but unable to write anything that did not sound weak. So, this news flash inspired him to write "Children of the Darkness". The words just came to him and he typed as fast as he could to get it all down.

Task 2
Complete the template provided in Annex A, focusing on (1) Point of View; (2) Situation and Setting; (3) Language/Diction; and (4) Personal Response, and post your response to Task 2 on your blog. This template is based on John Lye’s ‘Critical Analysis of Poetry’, and you can make reference to this in Annex B when in doubt.

My Response to Task 2 <-- click here

Sources:
http://danielsiew2010sec2.wikispaces.com/E-Learning+2+%2825-26+May+2010%29
http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/2010warpoetry.html#Children_