"When God Happens" by Kyle

Poem Link

mitchell_k — 2015-10-13 23:53:26 UTC

https://www.youtube.com/embed/S2Ks06Al8c0"

"When God Happens"

mitchell_k — 2015-10-13 23:55:43 UTC

This poem is based on the September 11th World Trade Centre terrorist attack. It focusses on the emotional side of the attack, talking about the victims who perished on that day. As well as more generally, how the war on terror has achieved nothing but a death toll for the USA.

Tone

mitchell_k — 2015-10-14 07:01:17 UTC

The tone Mike brings across to the audience is extremely emotional, strong, loud and moderately paced. With this heartfelt tone, the level of emotion in this poem is extraordinary.

Mood

mitchell_k — 2015-10-20 07:13:05 UTC

Mike uses negative imagery to set the mood. "Digging Cheerio's out of a bowl, when they're digging bodies out of a hole". This quote makes the audience feel a solemn and respectful mood.

Imagery

mitchell_k — 2015-10-20 07:13:09 UTC

"Digging Cheerio's out of a bowl, when they're digging bodies out of a hole"."People clutched family photos, were forced to jump, and became human tombstones". The use of this descriptive language expresses how the author feels and thinks about the event taking place in the poem

Repeated words/phrases

mitchell_k — 2015-10-20 07:22:37 UTC

"Your war has done nothing but add to the list of boys who are waiting for their fathers to come home". This phrase is repeated three times as it emphasizes one of the main ideas of the poem. It could also be seen as a pleading message towards stopping religions colliding and lives being pointlessly lost from war.

Main Ideas

mitchell_k — 2015-10-20 07:52:48 UTC

This poem talks about the attack occurring because of religions colliding (Christianity and Islam), and violent extremists trying to spread fear and terror across a nation. Mike also points out that "On that day, no-one was black or white, everyone was grey". Meaning that both white and black people were killed during the attack and in their final moments they had no diffreneces.

Main Ideas

mitchell_k — 2015-10-20 07:53:02 UTC

"When God Happens" is also a very meaningful and personal poem to Mike. As his father was working in the World Trade Centre the day of the plane hijacking, and Mike didn't know if he was okay as the phone lines were down. On top of this, Mikes best friends Dad was proclaimed killed in action in Afghanistan for 12 years, but his body still has not been found.

Symbolism

mitchell_k — 2015-10-20 08:22:49 UTC

When Mike mentions the victims who died under the rubble, he respectfully raises his hand to his head and salutes the American flag.

Sound devices

mitchell_k — 2015-10-20 23:19:01 UTC

Mike uses the implied word 'You' quite frequently to put the audience in his shoes and to make them experience his emotions on the day of the attack. E.g. "I wish you could see the clouds forming under the clouds". "I wish you could touch this smell with your nostrils everytime you breathe".

Performance Elements

mitchell_k — 2015-10-27 08:42:55 UTC

Mike occasionally uses a change of pace in his voice to exaggerate certain lines of the poem. Short sentences are also spoken to show intenseness in the poem. " Under the rubble, there was only grey".

Theme

mitchell_k — 2015-10-27 09:15:43 UTC

The theme of "When God Happens", would be that War and conflict fuelled by religion is pointless, and ends in death and destruction.

Main deas

mitchell_k — 2015-10-27 09:29:32 UTC

Another aspect of the poem is that it expresses the frustrations of many about how the situation was handled in subsequent years. As the attack was blamed by many on an entire racial group when it was just organised by a small handful of people. "I can’t make this any clearer to you. That day had no black or white, cause under that rubble everyone was grey".