Publication Details
Abstract
This study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of war poetry in the works of Saadi Youssef and Brian Turner, exploring how their poetry reflects the profound impacts of war on Iraq and its people. The research adopts a qualitative content analysis method, examining four selected poems to uncover the poets' literary traditions and their portrayal of war. Specifically, Youssef's poems "A Tourist Advertisement for Hajj Omran" and "America America" are analyzed alongside Turner's "Here Bullet" and "Soldier's Arabic." The results highlight how Youssef intertwines history with autobiographical details to depict the harsh realities of war in Iraq, while Turner, drawing from his experiences as a soldier, offers a profound critique of war's dehumanizing effects. Both poets utilize their work to challenge simplistic narratives of conflict and emphasize the enduring human cost of warfare.