American Anthem: Poems and Essays

Abstract

American Anthem is a collection of poetry followed by a critical reflection on the craft elements within the manuscript. The collection of poetry explores the growing levels of gun violence in the United States. More specifically, the manuscript seeks to illustrate the devastating psychological ramifications trauma inevitably has on the mind and body as a result of such violence. Following the collection of poetry, the critical reflection places significant emphasis on elements of craft that inform the collection by examining how the interplay of narrative and lyric, intimacy and distance within perspective, and the interplay of tradition and innovation within form can serve to convey the complexity of trauma. When taken together, the poetry and critical reflection shed new light on the ways in which poetry grapples with the phenomenon of violence