First Exploratory Draft & Notes

All Things Not Considered -- Naomi Shihab Nye

In this poem, the persona talked about how innocent children are brutally murdered because war (in this case, it is the war is between Israel and Palestine). Examples can be seen throughout the whole poem, 

'You cannot stitch the breath

back into this boy'

'A brother and sister were playing with toys

when their room exploded'

'The Jewish boys killed in the cave

were skipping school, having an adventure'

'Mohammed al-Durra huddled against his father

in the street, terrified. The whole world saw him die'

'An Arab father on crutches burying his 4 months girl

weeps,

"I spit in the face of this ugly world."'

Second part of the poem, the persona explained that, as a parent, he or she would do anything so save his or her children from any harm.

'Most of us would take our children over land.

We would walk in the fields forever homeless

with our children,

huddle under cliffs, eat crumbs and berries,

to keep our children.

This is what we say from a distance

because we can say whatever we want.'

Third part of the poem, the persona talked about people are ego and confuse. They never admit their mistakes and the fight for nothing but their own pride.

No one was right.

Everyone was wrong.

What if they’d get together

and say that?

At a certain point

the flawed narrator wins.

People made mistakes for decades.

Everyone hurt in similar ways

at different times.

Some picked up guns because guns were given.

If they were holy it was okay to use guns.

Some picked up stones because they had them.

They had millions of them.

They might have picked up turnip roots

or olive pits.

Picking up things to throw and shoot:

at the same time people were studying history,

going to school.

In the last part of the poem, the persona is describing the uncertainty of future in the Holy Land. There is a baby (new generation), no water, less tree and women who are perhaps lost their husbands to the war. 

The curl of a baby’s graceful ear.

The calm of a bucket

waiting for water.

Orchards of the old Arab men

who knew each tree.

Jewish and Arab women

standing silently together.

Generations of black.