The speaker is speaking in a third-person point of view. The woman (speaker) is a stay at home mom. To me, it seems like the title Daystar refers to her feeling of essence when she no longer holds the pressures of being a mother or wide for a period of time. Or maybe Daystar refers to her character, as being a light that helps/ guide her family.

• A total of 5 stanzas.
• A free verse poem without rhythm or meter.
• The author uses enjambment.
• The authors constant use of imagery truly throws the thoughts and feelings of what true parenting is like. It's dreadful.

In my opinion, the author uses both positive and negative ( or a simple compare and contrast of a light/ day situation, like in the highlighted section) connotations that signify the good and dreading times the mother faces.

For example, "She had a hour at best" - this in an example of the good moments that she had to herself, while.. " before Liza appeared pouting.." is a reference to her dreadful times. I believe the author's use of these literary devices keep the readers on their toes.

Here the author uses connotation and denotation.

Liza must really hate her mother having any sort of peace. Like, Jesus Christ, I am going to pout and give mummy a more difficult time. Could this mother still pretend of living in a palace as she had one day imagined motherhood would be like?

The author uses imagery for the reader's visualization of steam coming off a diaper. WHAT AWFUL SMELL. I can even smell a recreate the experience and expressions the smell of baby diapers slap on my face, from experience. Great use here.

In these few lines the author uses alliteration as she repeats the same constant sound at the beginning.

• saw
• steaming
• slumped

Here the author uses visual imagery to highlight the physical tiredness of the mother.

After annotating over and over, I have an assumption. I believe this poem is composed of two sonnets. The first 14 lines show the horrors of war through the imagery we get from the author. Whereas, in the last 14 lines... I noticed a different outlook into the message I believed to be " the horrors of war". Yes, the author still believes it to be true, in lines 14-28, but it seems as if he wants the reader to acknowledge it and look at war differently. The author ( or narrator ) wants others to find another outlook towards what really happens when one carries the false honorous weight one is handing when serving .

Sometimes in literature, the color green signifies hope, yet now the soldier is dying because of the damages the green light/ sea (gas) is causing. Rather than bringing or suggesting hope, it's actually taking it away and taking the life of someone. The color green I presume, can bring life and take it.

In this line the author uses a simile and consonance. Later one we realize that he is indirectly (in just this line) speaking about soldiers... being on their knees like homeless people.

Here the author also uses iambic pentameter.

I continue to see the repetition of consonant sounds being used. These men were probably so tired they had no clue what was going and marched on despite all the gas grenades that were thrown at them.

All i continue to see is the horrible things involved in war. I don't see or hear anyone holding onto that bravery that's so glorified in times of war. So, props for the use of a metaphor.

Here the author uses assonance as he repeats vowel sounds.

After reading the poem, I have found that it consists of 3 stanzas with an ababcdcd rhyme scheme.

Also the poem stands for "it is sweet and fitting to die for one's country", which supports war efforts. But, the author of the poem shows his lack of support toward war efforts by emphasizing what war do to its soliders.

The author used an onomatopoeia to give a sound to the word. You can sound like your coughing when you begin to read the word out loud.

The author used an onomatopoeia to give a sound to the word.

Because of today's use of language, I would assume lame meant boring or lacking excitement/ thrill.

Here I see the author's use of enjambment as he tries to get a point across in one line and spills into the next one. This highlighted section also aid visual imagery as one can easily imagine walking with bloody feet after walking without the shoes one has lost.

If this part alone were a line it would fit an unstressed, unstressed, stress meter.

These men were probably walking with their eyes closed as they definitely had a will to stay alive, yet they were tired and sleepy. Maybe them marching asleep meant that they were just accustomed to doing so after spending so much time marching.

I keep assuming that these flairs (or lights) signified a horror.. or something they feared, that they kept away from.

I keep reading the repetition of beginning consonant sounds. Maybe the author here uses consonance.

Here the author uses a simile as to the compare the physical condition these soldiers are in. He compares their health to that of an old woman. With their tired knees they walked through the mudd.

Some culturally emotional ties never leave, they remain their in the roots and core of our body. We hold the weight of time to embrace things when we are ready.

Is this another example of an anthropomorphism? Giving the wooden stairs human traits? Wooden stairs being tired?

He may have lost touch his roots/ culture. And he is back home to embrace it.

Now that I've read, though his father could not see he still embraced his culture... maybe even though the narrator may be confused as to what his culture barriers hold him back from, he too may one day embrace it.

Though we have some rhyme here at the end of the lines, the word meat does not follow the rhyme... as to maybe reference the confusion and difficulty the narrator/ other people struggle with when learning English.

Here the author uses gustatory imagery!

More examples of similes!

Here we have another simile. It's the comparison between the wrens and yarns that are soft.

Here the author uses a simile in comparing the narrator's intimate partner to the beauty of the moon.

You must be gentle and sweet (kind to something fragile) to something that feels gentle and sweet (soft and tasty).

I'd assume that although persimmons do not equate to precision, the selection of persimmons is precise??

Teacher uses physical violence and shames the narrator for not distinguishing English words correctly.

Compared to the rest of the poem, stanza 3 is in present tense, not past tense. It may be that the love and affection towards/ from Donna is still relevant in the present.

There are a total of 14 stanzas, which include no rhyme or meter, but they do include enjambement. There's also a lot of free verse.

I love this visual imagery here. And giving the yard personification, as to shiver because of the crickets making the yard move, AWESOME.

Would getting slapped initiate some sense and understanding? Maybe.

If persimmon(s) symbolize good luck, and precision means being exact.. would you need good luck to be exact or would being exact mean you have good luck? ... I'm thinking of something here. If the unknown speaker here is narrating then does he not have good luck for not knowing the difference.

The author uses enjambment.

Throughout literature, Persimmons have always been symbolic of "good luck".

"it be your own brothers" .. Mrs. Das really just I dont even know anymore.

Twas definitely an erotic use of this description for Mrs. Das.

Woah. She cheated for maybe a gateway to a better life. Or in the excitement Punjabi guy had sex with Mrs. Das. Real major indirect characterization here. Was Mrs. Das ever committed.

She believed the weight of the marriage and pregnancy all fell on her and destroyed her self esteem.

What a young way and very unexpected way to become a pair.

There has been a change in character.

Mrs. Das recognizes Bobby's absence and lack of presence in this part of the story compared to the rest of it.

Another moment for a picture but this time it's Mr. Das asking for all 5 members of the family to be together.

It seems that the descriptions of Mrs. Das are less romanticized as they were prior to the intimate conversation.

Mr. and Mrs. Das just can't accommodate into the mother and father role because they never asked for it. They never even asked to be together.

A juxtaposition.

DALLAS! A significant mention because Mr. Kapasi experiences America through a TV show.

That's definitely because Bobby is a half brother to the rest of the kids.

Once again, he's living through the lens/ pictures he takes.

Another example of the authors great use of visual imagery No need to go to India for monkeys!

Again, another motif. Mr. Das is living his life through books and pictures rather actually experiencing any of it.

Very impatient Indian-'American' individual. It highlights a large sense of impatience in the american identity.

This is not completely true as Mr. Das has a profession as an individual who takes on the role to instruct with only the one single responsibility to be a tour guide once a school year. Meanwhile, Mr. Kapasi seems to have been a tour for a long time, daily, in India.

The Das family is't the first or last family from America, more specifically the New York area that Mr. Kapasi has given a tour to.

Here the author does a well job in conveying Mrs. Das appearance through the use of visual imagery. It can also be noted that Mr. Kapasi/ author romanticize Mrs. Das as this golden girl in the story, who holds something of value. All of the characters were described, but Mrs. Das description has the highest word count than any other character. Along that, we get lots of specific descriptions, such as her legs, lips, shoulders, nails and hands soft as paws.

She seems to show respect regardless of not knowing what was just said.

A sign that this brown skinned girl possessed a blonde haired doll in which she cut the hair off to hopefully represent herself in this doll.

A great way to display wealth in the family.

A major problem in identities (also an example of indirect characterization) is that many ethnic- americans feel a sense of pride and superiority when they are from the U.S rather than being born in their motherland and going to America where they are seen as an inferior specimen.

Mina Das, what a pleasure. sighs "Americans."

Would wearing a uniform that got crushed serve as a major inconvenience to Mr. Kapasi's life that he picked out a favorite outfit?

A difference between the ages of the tourists (specifically Mr./Mrs. Das and Mr. Kapasi).

Here we have an example of a juxtaposition between the clothes of the Das family and that of Mr. Kapasi.

There seems to a relationship between Bobby and Mr. Das that is present between Mr. Das and Ronny. Favoritism maybe.

Here Mr. Das lacks a sort of parenting mechanism that I'd assume would be the one that grabs their kid from going to a goat in a foreign place.

The basic tourist outfit.

Ronny was definitely son of Mr. Das.

Some people really prefer seeing things through books rather than their eyes when the whole authentic experience is there in front of them.

Author gives a good visual imagery to the Scottish tourists.

It really does pay to be bilingual.

These are definitely common tourists. They seem to not be tight on money as their clothing/ gear is what one would expect to hold as a tourist in a sunny day.

Here, I get the sense that these individuals are 'whitewashed' Indian- Americans. It's always your own people criticizing you for not being ethnic enough within your own skin.

Mr. Kapasi notices a young couple. He notices their youth. Why? What are we supposed to make of this.

What a needy girl. My current mood is definitely: annoyed.

Here, the author provides a sense of visual and tactile imagery as one can see the brightness of the surrounding and sense the touch of the dry heat in a mid-July day.

India, a great place to tour.

The author continues his use of indirect characterization as Mrs. Das's recent actions including the one highlighted, suggest unusual behavior as a parent, one would say.

Here is a sort of inciting incident as there is tour guide sort of sexually viewing a female tourist. We begin to wonder what Mr. Kapasi's wants are. It's needless to say that the descriptions in this text give visual images of the moment.

These adults are behaving like children, not parents. The way the story begins gives a very surprised mood. In fact, I see this an obstacle in the plot. Two parents arguing and never giving a child it's need, immediately.

Only those ignorant of what war was fell in love of it. Blind love. or in love during a war.

Well shit. They would have to carry more of the same weight no matter what because new cargo of supplies and food would always arrive. They would have rather wasted their hauled weight than add anymore.

Lt. Cross is beginning to come to his senses that Martha does not have any intimate feelings towards him.. could this be a turning point?

Too much weight can break a man.

They were just waiting to die one by one. They knew that in war people died. They had all accepted their fate.

Does this mean without love/ life/ weight?

It must have been a necessary mean for these men to be naked to feel free of any weight on them. Would this mean they were also naked/ held no emotional weight as well? Or just physical nakedness.

Woah! The weight is off the backs of these men!

Again, another reference to the weight these men had to carry. Many had to hold on to the emotions that many of the men's' deaths gave to others.

Maybe Lieutenant believed that in not doing so, it would eventually lead to his own death.

It can sometimes be so easy to hate the things we love because of the lack of authenticity we expect it to have.

Amen. It is quite sad. It is a heavy burden. Still once again 'weight' is referenced in the story. There will alway be an immense amount of weight on the backs' of men.

More evidence and a checklist of what a good leader would expect to get done long with his troops.

Hell yeah, a true leader.

Seems to want to be more fully engaged and fill in the shoes of lieutenant.

Always a hard note to take in and live with.

Does being covered by a Pancho signify Death/ death of someone.

The letters were read and the words/ feelings/ emotions were engraved and carried on the back of this individual.

Another reference as to the weight these men have to carry on their back. This story shines light on the weight many alive/dead individuals had to carry during a time of war.

Shows great attributes in being the leader one needs in times like this.

Another reference to the weight being carried by these men..

Maybe he believes that having a virgin was the best way to go around in pure love? It's interesting.

sometimes love can drive you to wonder about a girl's life and relations with others.

The color grey has always symbolized neutrality and balance.

Interesting man.

Dave Jensen seems to be seen a strict routine individual, but I believe he is just a wealthy man back in America keeping himself in good appearance. I definitely

Heavy weight to add.

Seems to be a dedicated family man. Represents his family and culture.

Definitely a large buff man.

The materialistic weight is definitely no match to the emotional and mental weight these men have on their backs/ will experience.

What are P-38s?

Why won't Cross understand that he's sort of being led on. It is sad how this man's body walks in Vietnam while his heart continues to beat in the United States.

Chaucer is my boy. This female was definitely a studious kind. Maybe unlike other women. Maybe this man loves a woman who was sort of progressing to being independent.

What a love story. Definitely one way to sense one's presence.

A man in his emotional state of mind. Maybe Lieutenant found peace in this routine.

A great way to return our body's waste back into our mother Earth. Great symbolism/ visual imagery here.

Damn. I would have lost hopes in fighting in the war. Why would this lady send letters. Why is this girl playing with my character's feelings? Shame on her.

I've never heard of or used the word rucksack. It was quite interesting looking up the meaning of the word.

To me, Martha seems to represent the girlfriend one of the soldiers / Lieutenant brought to the war. Martha also seems to sway some of my attention into wondering why Martha had letters and why.

These men carried with them the new told lies and elusive idea of returning home to their normal lives (including the author in his own experience). The article elaborates on the significance of the men in this composition as they all held the weight of the war on their shoulders on top of their own feelings and emotions.

He is no longer in hell. Amen

The paragraphs before this made me get so anxious and paranoid over all the actions that were happening. I thought Sonny was about to get killed or something. Something that would have left the older brother in regret.

Could all of this be the climax?

Woah... Sonny did it. He made it?!

Great way to describe the darker toned people.

Goal/ Desire that will get him out of Harlem.

Sad times.

What was happening to him?

Mamba Mentality!

These brothers greatly demonstrate the lives that my brother and I share. I am the older brother and my brother is the younger brother. I somehow disregard everything he wants to achieve and what not because I act as if I have all of life's shiznit figured out, because I had to grow up fast as a first gen kid and everything. ( I apologize for the grammar). I mean, I just don't want to see my brother struggle.

Everyone and that damn G.I. Bill I swear. God Bless America, though.

Are Isabel's folks rich?

Maybe the army was full of white men?

Inspired by Duke Ellington?

Sounds like my loving mother growing up.

Makes me think of my recent experience down in Mexico. This is all quite marked in my memories. As if I saw the entire thing happen.

Why is this is so easy to imagine.

This just sounds very close to home for me.

Yikes. The mood here is quite unsettling. It feels like everyone's talking and once you get caught eavesdropping it's as if no one ever mentioned a thing.

Ah, so the older brother served in the army. A distinguished man.

The ghetto life will continue to seep through eventually, as much as you may avoid it.

This is definitely an example of visual imagery as people probably sacrificed a lot to stay alive and get out of the hood. And many left behind blood, sweat and tears. Maybe even some died, left their body and moved out and into the afterlife.

Something can be elegant yet without life. Maybe the hotels were just pretty and all but no one wanted to stay in them because of the location .

The Ghetto takes lives.

Now I see. Maybe Harlem/ the ghetto has become very much like the poverty stricken country of India.

The country of India owned land in the New World or what did I just miss. Or are they just joking now and referring to 'Indians'?

Sometimes I myself do blame things on the Lord. If it's his will then let it be, but it isn't my fault. Major things like deaths.. not like missing a homework assignment. Could the brother be the antagonist ?

Maybe Sonny is the antagonist and the older brother is the protagonist. Two black men on the same road (will always be discriminated), yet on different sides of the road (one is of fine people and the other is ghetto??).

Oh, Isabel is the wife.

Fine people as in educated /white washed/ good established folk? Or just ..?

I would be in tears asking my parents to come back from the dead and help me. But ya have to be tough on the streets I assume.

This quite sad. A father to his daughter and younger brother, though much less to his younger brother.

Guy was probably found hanging with Sonny and all .. led the police and Sonny escaped in time or something.

Could this guy really have killed a known soul brother like that?

So like lynched? Hung? Life ended by the white man? When the word hung came up I thought of lynch and what lynching meant long ago... and even today.

Probably couldn't get a black man out of jail on bail back then so easily.

I wonder who this Isabel is.. maybe the wife... or even the younger/ older sister.

Horsesh*t? Symbolism in reference to drugs?

Would the use of the word copper here be used as imagery of his brother's brown skin? Copper could also signify the value of his brother.. since copper isn't worth much.

Here I find the inciting incident that provokes engagement and a sense of direction in the story. According to the article read prior to reading the story, we find out one of the protagonists finds out about his brother's arrest in the very beginning of the story.

I have never heard this word used in this context. It sounds professional and quite more serious than "dealing".

The head? Popping needles to the head or where is the head?