Kamikaze – Beatrice Garland
"Kamikaze" is a poem written by Beatrice Garland that explores the
theme of cultural and personal identity in the context of the
Kamikaze pilots of World War II. The poem tells the story of a
Kamikaze pilot who decides not to carry out his suicide mission and
returns home, facing the consequences of his choice. The pilot's
decision raises questions about loyalty, societal expectations, and the
individual's struggle between duty and personal values.
Form - Each stanza is 6 lines long, but it does not link to the subject
of the poem. It is written in free verse, entirely without rhyme which
makes the poem seem more like a narrative story about the father.
‘Her father embarked at sunrise / with a flash of water, a
samurai sword'
The sound of the sibilance in 'sunrise', 'Samurai', and 'sward'
reflects the peace that he is supposed to find in death.
This is also symbolized with 'Sunrise', 'Sun' symbolizing both the
country of Japan, which is why the sun is the symbol on their
flag and also symbolizes divinity.
'Water' is always a symbol of purity and so he is purifying
himself spiritually. For the Christian audience it signifies
baptism. He is dying to in order to enter into a new life as
a hero.
The verb 'embarked' is deliberately being used here because it
is going to be the site of the grandfather's boat, which reminds
him what is like be to be a fisherman and persuades him not to
will other sailors on the sea.
This means that ultimately the father is going to realize the
enemy is just like him and his father will remind him of the
family that he is going to lose.
"Kamikaze" is a poem written by Beatrice Garland that explores the
theme of cultural and personal identity in the context of the
Kamikaze pilots of World War II. The poem tells the story of a
Kamikaze pilot who decides not to carry out his suicide mission and
returns home, facing the consequences of his choice. The pilot's
decision raises questions about loyalty, societal expectations, and the
individual's struggle between duty and personal values.
Form - Each stanza is 6 lines long, but it does not link to the subject
of the poem. It is written in free verse, entirely without rhyme which
makes the poem seem more like a narrative story about the father.
‘Her father embarked at sunrise / with a flash of water, a
samurai sword'
The sound of the sibilance in 'sunrise', 'Samurai', and 'sward'
reflects the peace that he is supposed to find in death.
This is also symbolized with 'Sunrise', 'Sun' symbolizing both the
country of Japan, which is why the sun is the symbol on their
flag and also symbolizes divinity.
'Water' is always a symbol of purity and so he is purifying
himself spiritually. For the Christian audience it signifies
baptism. He is dying to in order to enter into a new life as
a hero.
The verb 'embarked' is deliberately being used here because it
is going to be the site of the grandfather's boat, which reminds
him what is like be to be a fisherman and persuades him not to
will other sailors on the sea.
This means that ultimately the father is going to realize the
enemy is just like him and his father will remind him of the
family that he is going to lose.
