Sam Hamill and Carolyn Forche

Sam Hamill and Carolyn Forche

Sam Hamill

Carolyn Forche

Sam Hamill and Carolyn Forche's ideas about poetry seem mostly alike – rooting out and exposing human suffering, abuse, and injustice. Putting words to things that others cannot find the words to describe, and forever engraving it in your mind. 

However, Carolyn Forche seemed to be more or less trying to educate us in what Poetry of Witness is, whereas Sam Hamill's writing seemed more heated, political, and opinionated. He definitely seemed as one who would not be able to sit quiet as an injustice was unfolding – no matter how small.  You can definitely tell he came from an abusive past.

In Sam Hamill's writing, I agree with the statements about abuse and how the cycle is almost always repeated. The chain of abuse is usually passed on as the abused becomes the abuser. However, I disagree with his statements on the discipline of children. His essay states, “The man who slips off his belt to spank his naughty child is about to commit felony assault. If he behaves like this toward any other human being but those of his immediate family, he is locked up for the protection of society.” He is being a bit extreme here. The parents are allowed to spank their own child, and not other peoples children because they are supposed to be responsible for teaching their own children moral values. Now days most people expect the teachers in the class room to do it, and wonder why we have tons of pregnancies, drop outs, and discipline problems at the Jr. High and High Schools. We didn't used to need metal detectors at our schools. Spare the rod, spoil the child. I do not use a rod, and I do not condone beating a child; but, when positive reinforcement is not working and a spank or an ear squeeze is needed, and used properly, then it is not wrong. It depends on when and how this form of discipline is used. It should be reserved for outright rebellious behaviors. There are way to many very spoiled children now days that are not even taught simple basics of right and wrong. They speak and act disrespectful to their parents and everyone around them. It's now common to hear the “F” word come out of 4 and 5 year olds at the public play ground – very sad. Mr. Hamill speaks as if he is one that does not have children of his own. It is easy to judge when you are on the outside looking in, or still viewing it from an abused child's perspective. Proper discipline is not abuse. You should discipline and speak the truth in love.

I agreed with the statements and facts he gave regarding people, and the need for human touch citing the study done by the University of Wisconsin showing deformation in the cerebellum of moneys if touch is denied. There are other studies also done in relation to this (to see some, click here, and here), that all prove the same thing: It does not matter if a person is male or female, human touch is necessary for normal growth and development physically as well as emotionally.

Although Sam Hamill made quite a few good points in his writing, he seems like he has a chip on his shoulder and a bone to pick with each every person on the planet, and that we are all to blame for something that's wrong, somewhere in this world – not a very positive or healthy outlook on life.

In Caroline Forche's article, I agree with her stance on human rights, and that there is nothing wrong with poetry being political, even if that was not it's original intention. I like how she gives witness to the evils of this world in her article with out being too judgmental towards the reader. She seems more to want to open the eyes of the reader, shock them with the actual visual details, and cause change that way – a more positive way. She also seems to want to make sure the victims are not forgotten. This is evidenced by her statement, “In the Bori notesz (Bor notebook) were Radnóti's final poems, among them the Razglednici (postcard poems) written during his imprisonment. They are collected in Against Forgetting, along with the works of one hundred and forty-four other significant poets, many of whom did not survive, but their works remain with us as poetic evidence of the dark times in which they lived.“ I didn't really find anything to disagree with her on in this particular article.

For more information about Sam Hamill, click HERE, and HERE. 
Here is a link to Sam Hamill's website with poems from other poets who stand with him in protest against the war. 

For more information about Carolyn Forche, click HERE, and HERE. 

Sam Hamill Photo Source: http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/733

Carolyn Forche Photo Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolyn_Forch%C3%A9