The poem explores the disturbing and controversial events surrounding the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. The author uses the imagery of rice seedlings to draw parallels between the confinement and dehumanization experienced by the internees and the growth and transformation of rice plants.
The poem begins by describing the internees as "one hundred twenty thousand grains of rice in a bowl," emphasizing the sheer number of people affected and the way they were reduced to mere statistics. The language of being "stripped down" and "threshed out" further reinforces the dehumanizing nature of the internment process.
Despite the grim subject matter, the poem also suggests a sense of resilience and growth, much like the rice seedlings that continue to grow even in the face of adversity. The author's note acknowledges the sensitive and controversial nature of the topic, as they have no personal experience with the events described.
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by Natalie Wilk... at medium.com 05-12-2024
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