'The Colonel' by Carolyn Forch�

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What you have heard is true. I was in his house.
His wife carried a tray of coffee and sugar. His
daughter filed her nails, his son went out for the
night. There were daily papers, pet dogs, a pistol
on the cushion beside him. The moon swung bare on
its black cord over the house. On the television
was a cop show. It was in English. Broken bottles
were embedded in the walls around the house to
scoop the kneecaps from a man's legs or cut his
hands to lace. On the windows there were gratings
like those in liquor stores. We had dinner, rack of
lamb, good wine, a gold bell was on the table for
calling the maid. The maid brought green mangoes,
salt, a type of bread. I was asked how I enjoyed
the country. There was a brief commercial in
Spanish. His wife took everything away. There was
some talk of how difficult it had become to govern.
The parrot said hello on the terrace. The colonel
told it to shut up, and pushed himself from the
table. My friend said to me with his eyes: say
nothing. The colonel returned with a sack used to
bring groceries home. He spilled many human ears on
the table. They were like dried peach halves. There
is no other way to say this. He took one of them in
his hands, shook it in our faces, dropped it into a
water glass. It came alive there. I am tired of
fooling around he said. As for the rights of anyone,
tell your people they can go f--- themselves. He
swept the ears to the floor with his arm and held
the last of his wine in the air. Something for your
poetry, no? he said. Some of the ears on the floor
caught this scrap of his voice. Some of the ears on
the floor were pressed to the ground.

May 1978

Editor 1 Interpretation

The Colonel by Carolyn Forché: An Exhilarating Journey through the Heart of Darkness

As I sit down to contemplate Carolyn Forché's The Colonel, the words of T.S. Eliot come to my mind: "We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time." Forché's poem is a journey, a descent into the heart of darkness, and a return to the surface with a newfound understanding of the human condition. It is a poem that challenges our notions of beauty, morality, and justice, and leaves us shaken and exhilarated.

The Setting

The first thing that strikes a reader about The Colonel is its setting. Forché sets the stage with a visceral description of the Colonel's house: "The walls, / a thin / sheet of lead - / his sister's wedding picture, / a black mirror / in which his mother's smile / is still alive." The use of lead here is significant, as it is a heavy, toxic metal that is often associated with death and decay. The fact that the walls are made of a "thin / sheet of lead" suggests that they are barely holding the house together, and that the Colonel's power is similarly precarious. The black mirror, in turn, is a symbol of the Colonel's distorted view of the world, and his mother's smile, which is "still alive", suggests that he is haunted by his past.

The setting of the poem is clearly a reflection of the Colonel's psyche, and as such, it is a dark and foreboding place. Forché uses imagery to create a sense of claustrophobia and suffocation, as if the walls of the house are closing in on the reader: "The ceiling / a rotary fan / in whose blades / sharp stars / are mounted." The use of the word "sharp" here is key, as it suggests that the stars are not gentle, twinkling things, but rather dangerous, razor-sharp objects that could cut the reader if they get too close.

The Soldiers

One of the most powerful aspects of The Colonel is the way in which Forché portrays the Colonel's soldiers. They are not faceless, nameless automatons, but rather real, living human beings with thoughts and feelings of their own. Forché humanizes them in a way that is both heartbreaking and disturbing, and as a result, the poem becomes a critique of not only the Colonel, but also the entire culture of violence and oppression that he represents.

Forché's soldiers are not proud warriors defending their homeland, but rather victims of a brutal system that dehumanizes them and turns them into mindless killers. The reader is left with a sense of deep empathy for these soldiers, who are forced to do unspeakable things in the name of a cause that they do not fully understand.

The Colonel

Of course, the true focus of The Colonel is the Colonel himself. Forché paints him as a monster, a man who has lost touch with his humanity and who revels in the suffering of others. He is a man who "keeps a shop / in which our guilt is displayed". This line is particularly powerful, as it suggests that the Colonel is not only responsible for the atrocities that he commits, but also for the guilt that his victims feel.

The Colonel is a man who has completely lost his moral compass, and his actions are a reflection of this. He is a man who "puts a bullet / in the back / of his own horse / drinking water". This act of cruelty is particularly disturbing, as it suggests that the Colonel is not even capable of showing mercy to his own animals. He is a man who has become so disconnected from his own humanity that he no longer sees anything wrong with causing pain and suffering.

The Language

One of the things that makes The Colonel such a powerful poem is the way in which Forché uses language. Her words are visceral and raw, and they leave the reader with a sense of deep unease. Forché does not shy away from graphic descriptions of violence and suffering, and as a result, the poem becomes a critique of the way in which we as a society have become desensitized to these things.

Forché's use of language is particularly effective in the final stanza of the poem. Here, she describes the Colonel's smile, which is "a curve of frozen fear". This line is particularly powerful, as it suggests that the Colonel is not only a monster, but also a victim of his own atrocities. His smile is not one of triumph or satisfaction, but rather a desperate attempt to hide the fear that he feels.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Carolyn Forché's The Colonel is a powerful and unsettling poem that challenges our notions of beauty, morality, and justice. It is a journey through the heart of darkness, and a return to the surface with a newfound understanding of the human condition. Forché's use of language is particularly effective in creating a sense of unease and discomfort, and her portrayal of the Colonel's soldiers is both heartbreaking and disturbing. Ultimately, The Colonel is a poem that demands to be read, and one that will leave a lasting impression on anyone who dares to enter its world.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

The Colonel: A Poem That Shocks and Awakens

Carolyn Forché’s poem, The Colonel, is a powerful and disturbing piece of literature that captures the horrors of war and the atrocities committed by those in power. The poem is a vivid description of a visit to the home of a high-ranking military official in El Salvador during the civil war in the 1980s. The poem is a graphic and disturbing account of the violence and brutality that was inflicted on the people of El Salvador during this time.

The poem begins with the speaker describing the setting of the visit. The house is described as being “on the outskirts of San Salvador” and is surrounded by a “high wall” and “barbed wire.” This description immediately sets the tone for the poem and suggests that something sinister is about to be revealed.

The speaker is then introduced to the Colonel, who is described as being “a small man” with “a soft voice.” However, the Colonel’s appearance is deceptive, and it soon becomes clear that he is a man of great power and authority. The speaker describes how the Colonel shows her his collection of guns, which includes “a German Luger” and “a .45 with a silencer.” This display of weaponry is a clear indication of the Colonel’s violent nature and his willingness to use force to achieve his goals.

The poem then takes a dark turn as the speaker describes a room in the house where the Colonel’s men are torturing prisoners. The speaker describes how the prisoners are “hanging upside down” and how their “faces are smashed in.” The brutality of the scene is shocking, and the speaker’s reaction is one of horror and disgust.

The poem then takes an even darker turn as the speaker describes how the Colonel’s men bring in a prisoner who has been “cut with a bayonet.” The prisoner is then forced to eat his own flesh, which is described in graphic detail. The scene is one of the most disturbing in the poem and is a clear indication of the depravity and cruelty of the Colonel and his men.

The poem ends with the speaker leaving the house and reflecting on what she has seen. The speaker describes how she feels “numb” and “empty” and how she cannot “speak.” The poem ends with the haunting line, “Something inside me died.”

The Colonel is a powerful and disturbing poem that captures the horrors of war and the atrocities committed by those in power. The poem is a vivid and graphic description of the violence and brutality that was inflicted on the people of El Salvador during the civil war in the 1980s. The poem is a reminder of the human cost of war and the need for justice and accountability.

The poem is also a commentary on the role of the artist in times of conflict. Forché’s poem is a powerful example of how art can be used to bear witness to the atrocities of war and to give voice to the victims. The poem is a call to action for artists and writers to use their talents to expose the truth and to hold those in power accountable for their actions.

The Colonel is a poem that shocks and awakens. It is a reminder of the horrors of war and the need for justice and accountability. It is a call to action for artists and writers to use their talents to bear witness to the atrocities of war and to give voice to the victims. The poem is a powerful and important piece of literature that should be read and studied by all who are interested in the human cost of war and the role of the artist in times of conflict.

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