The war versus peace language : a study of anti-war language and imagery in selected poems on the Iraqi war

Abstract EN

The 2003 war in Iraq has generated a great deal of controversy, debate, as well as literature and more specifically poetry.

Ever since, poets have continued to contribute poetry that made clear their refusal and objection to military strategies or even support and encouragement of war practices.

In the case of the 2003 American war in Iraq, the pro-war is highly subordinated to the anti-war poem.

Books were published before and after the war broke and websites team with poems contributed by thousands of conscientious objecting poets all over the world.

This study concentrates on the anti-war poetry contributed namely by American poets.

The selection of poems display viewpoints that are unanimously hostile to the war but various in the methods and strategies these anti-war views are poised.

Poems by David Ferri-Smith but also by David Siluk, Charles Bernstein, and others are tackled in the current study.