Call Me by My True Name

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Denzel Verrette Professor Van Dyck English 102 October 19, 2013 In 1976 Thich Nhat Hanh wrote a poem called “Call Me By My True Name” about a twelve-year-old girl who threw herself into the sea because she was raped by a sea pirate crossing the gulf of Siam. Hanh's poem is essentially about understanding. It is about not judging one for their crime but rather seeing what got them to that point. Hanh’s believe “If we can change our daily lives, we can change our governments and we can change the world. Our presidents and our governments are us. They reflect our lifestyle and our way of thinking”(Hahn 339). Hanh's vividly describes how meditating and having silence for their selves can bring peace to themselves and the world. Also, “by taking good care of ourselves, to be aware of our situation” helps too. In the poem, Hanh's uses rhythm to show that if anyone were in the criminal situation, we be just like them. “I saw that if I had been born in his village and brought up under the same conditions, I would be exactly like him.”(Hanh337). Hanh also show how compassion and awareness by using symbolism of life to get his point around. Hanh's uses rhythm by saying, “I am a mayfly metamorphosing on the surface of the river. And I am the bird, that swoops down to swallow the mayfly.”(Hanh338). Meaning as long as everybody are part of samsara, everybody are also subject of doing harm to others. So there is no being that could be claimed a mad one, because all of them seek for happiness. In the poem, Hanh's say I’m a innocent person then say I’m the villains that hurting the innocent person. “I am a frog swimming happily in the clear water of a pond, mad I am the grass-snake their silently feeds itself on the frog.” Hanh's also uses rhythm by showing suffering and the understanding to the readers. “Please call me by my true names,so I can hear all my cries and

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