A Soldier's Arab Poem Analysis

Words: 270
Pages: 2

In the poem “A Soldier’s Arabic” by Brian Turner, Turner uses similes and the Arabic word for love and death to make his poem about being in war. He wrote that the word for love is “habib, is written from right/ to left, starting where we would end it” (4-5). In addition, he wrote the word for death is “Maut,/ and you will hear the cursives of the wind” (10-11). Using words from different countries give meaning and shows culture through the poem. Turner emphasized these words because love and death have powerful meaning in when it comes to war. In addition, Turner uses similes to describe war. Turner wrote that “Where we would end a war/ another might take as a beginning, / or as an echo of history, recited again” (7-9). He’s comparing how