“Photo” by Diane Wakosi

 

This poem is very personal for the poet it depicts hurt, anger, regret and grief.  Many people say “a photo has a thousand words”, which I believe said a lot to the poet internally, and mentally.  As Diane and her sister was viewing a photo of their father, they were both reminded with hurt and pain.  Their father left a lot of unknown answers lingering.  Not only was the poet and her sister hurt, but their mother felt emotionally distraught.  What was written in the back of the poem strike a more unreasonable understanding for the poet, her sister and mother.  The poet used a lot of imagery to portray a more defined picture of what the photo meant to her.  The end of this poem struck me the most because of what she said “I see the face, not even a ghost, but always with me, like a photo in a beloved’s wallet, how I hate my destiny”.  My interpretation of this section of the poem is that the poet know for sure the photo well remind her of hurt and pain, like a wallet holding you important items but what shes not sure of is her destiny, which we all are not certain of.  How would you describe this poem? Or any other ideas?