Stones and Stone Lanterns
Stones are hard, cold, and tough to break. In line 2, the speaker asks if the people of Vietnam used stone lanterns to light their way. This is a particularly archaic method of lighting, and might...
Flowers
Flowers, usually a symbol of new life, appear frequently in this poem. In the "questioning" stanza, the speaker asks if the people of Vietnam held ceremonies "for the opening of buds" (4). This ind...
Bone
The first appearance of bones in the poem isn't as grim as it sounds. In line 6, the first speaker asks if the people of Vietnam used fine bone ornaments, like bone china (usually made from cow bon...
Mirrors and Reflections
A mirror can only reflect what is there, so what happens when there's nothing left to reflect? In lines 22-25, the second speaker uses mirror imagery to contrast Vietnam before the bombings and war...
Peace and Tranquility
The poem is brimming with images of calm, peaceful living. In lines 3-4, we see a ceremony celebrating the opening of flowers. In line 12, the speaker mentions "stone gardens illumined by pleasant...
Bombs and Destruction
The images of war in the poem are pretty stark. In lines 25-26, the speaker refers to the reason that the people of Vietnam no longer live in peace. In this alternate future, bombs were dropped, de...