Given Youssef’s depiction of America, what
do other poets say about it? Youssef’s work has
been compared to that of Walt Whitman (whom
Youssef names as an influence and who is refer-
enced in ‘‘America, America’’) and Allen Gins-
berg, both of whom have offered unique
depictions of their native country. Other inter-
esting perspectives on America can be found in
the work of Carl Sandburg, considered by many
to be the quintessential American poet, and the
Chinese-American poet Marilyn Chin. Some
poets embrace America and romanticize it,
others criticize it, and still others express more
ambiguous sentiments stemming from divided
cultural identities. Such perspectives viewed in
comparison to Youssef’s render an interesting
view of America.
Youssef, as well as other free verse Arabic
poets, consider Walt Whitman an influence on
their work, and he and his famous beard are
mentioned in Youssef’s poem. Although Youssef
and Whitman have much in common in terms of
their craft, their views of America are very differ-
ent. In ‘‘I Hear America Singing,’’ Whitman
describes a variety of Americans going about
their daily business. He hears their singing and
regards them as strong melodies that inspire him
to write the poem. The songs are metaphorical,
representing the business of daily life. The poem
describes each song as suitable for each person;
among the people are a mechanic, a carpenter, a
mason, a boatman with his deckhand, a shoe-
maker, a hatter,a wood-cutter, a farmer, a mother
and wife, a girl doing chores, and a party of young
men. All of these are everyday people embracing
their roles and their tasks. Whitman’s depiction of
America is of an energetic country full of all kinds
of people, all happily going about their lives. The
tone of the poem is carefree and uplifting. This
overall depiction is in marked contrast to Yous-
sef’s, in which America is hostile and uncaring.
Youssef sees America as represented by its mili-
tary, not as a nation of the same kind of everyday
people who move him to compassion in Iraq.
Both poets use imagery to the hilt, and both
make the most of the free verse form, but beyond
that, they have little in common besides love of
home country.
Youssef has also been compared to the Beat
poet Allen Ginsberg, whose sharp and often
controversial poetry exemplifies to many theSOME POETS EMBRACE AMERICA AND
ROMANTICIZE IT, OTHERS CRITICIZE IT, AND STILL
OTHERS EXPRESS MORE AMBIGUOUS SENTIMENTS
STEMMING FROM DIVIDED CULTURAL IDENTITIES.
SUCH PERSPECTIVES VIEWED IN COMPARISON TO
YOUSSEF’S RENDER AN INTERESTING VIEW
OF AMERICA.’’WHAT
DO I READ
NEXT? Edited and compiled by Mounah Abdallah
Khouri, An Anthology of Modern Arabic
Poetry(1974) allows English-speaking read-
ers a glimpse into the writing of Arabic poets
in the late twentieth century.
Post-Gibran Anthology of New Arab Ameri-
can Writing(1999), edited by Munir Akash
and Khaled Mattawa, contains the work of
more than forty Arab American writers. The
anthology features previously unpublished
works in all genres, including fiction, non-
fiction, essays, drama, and poetry.
Nuha al-Radi is an Iraqi woman who lived in
Iraq during the Persian Gulf War and was
directly affected by the United Nations’ sanc-
tions. She relates her experiences and her opin-
ions inBaghdad Diaries: A Woman’s Chronicle
of War and Exile(2003). American readers are
often unnerved by her anti-American feelings,
but her story brings history to life.
Phebe Marr’sThe Modern History of Iraq
(2004) sets out to explain the nation’s com-
plicated and dramatic history, beginning
with the British mandate in 1921 and bring-
ing the reader to the twenty-first century.
Politics, culture, war, economics, tribes,
nationalization, and other topics are covered.America, America