From -https://zipline.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/oblivious-again.jpg

Senseless

Why can you not see?

Your eyes have been replaced with crystals

Pure and corrupted

–

Why can you not hear?

Your ears have been shattered

by the sounds of silence

–

Why can you not smell?

Your nose accustomed to potions made from

thornless roses

–

Why can you not taste?

Your tongue tainted with

meals meant for millions

–

How can you not feel-

empathy

–

Open your eyes to the earth

Hear the squeals of joy and

help the screams of sorrow

Taste the foods of the world but

Smell the sour smoke and feed the fire fighters

–

So, listen again

For the sake of humanity

By Ammarah Siddiqui

Analysis

How do we learn to see through another’s eyes? Or why is it important?

The theme of seeing from a new perspective, or through another’s eyes is apparent in many literary pieces including the poem Senseless by Ammarah Siddiqui. Ammarah chooses to voice the poem as it is coming from herself and advising another person who seems to be unable to see from a different perspective or with new eyes. She emphasizes the importance and the difference between these stanzas by using the same structure asking why with the new sense only compromising the patter for emphasis later on in the poem. Using crystal based off of Mother to Son by Langston Hughes Ammarah writes about the denotative characteristics of crystals and takes it to the connotative understanding when she furthers with “pure and corrupted” which in itself is an oxymoron. Pure showcases the diamonds characteristic of being one of the purest substances and corrupted symbolizes moreso its effects as it creates greed. She continues talking about the next sense, hearing and quotes another oxymoron from Simon and Garfunkel’s song, the Sound of Silence. She speaks of perfumes made from just the petals and not the core of the flower, ignoring imperfection. Eating food meant for millions is alliteration showing the extent of greed. Ammarah breaks the stanza start pattern for emphasis to feeling and a one word line break for empathy. After this, she shows the changes the person can make to start the healing using personification, closing with a phrase from “the Bird” (another poem with a similar teaching intent) and a powerful sentiment of thought as a last line.