We Lived Happily During the War
BY ILYA KAMINSKY
And when they bombed other people’s houses, we
protested
but not enough, we opposed them but not
enough. I was
in my bed, around my bed America
was falling: invisible house by invisible house by invisible house.
I took a chair outside and watched the sun.
In the sixth month
of a disastrous reign in the house of money
in the street of money in the city of money in the country of money,
our great country of money, we (forgive us)
lived happily during the war.
1. Title/Author of the poem:
2. What is the subject of the poem?
3. Describe the speaker of the poem? Is the speaker involved in the action or outside of the action?
4. Does the poem represent the speaker’s feelings at a particular moment in time or does it seem the speaker has had a chance to reflect on the significance of events?
5. Identify and briefly explain the tension/conflict in the poem.
6. How is the poem organized? Where do the shifts come?
7. What is the most important line or sentence in the poem? Why?
8. Do you notice any poetic devices used in the poem? In what lines do they appear? (Metaphor, simile, apostrophe, personification, etc.)
9. Is there any imagery that stands out to you?
10. What is the message or theme of this poem?