Claudine Kaye J.

Nalus

Grade 12-

The Haiyan Dead

Merlie M. Alunan

The Haiyan Dead was written by Merlie M. Alunan. It tells us the story of the most
devastating typhoon that came in the Philippines, the super typhoon “Yolanda” or also known as
“Haiyan”. This poem is about the victims of the said typhoon and it narrates the experience of
the victims.

1. How is the work structured or organized? How did the poem begin and end? How is the
structure related to the impact that the poem is trying to make?

Unlike other poems, Haiyan Dead which was written by Merlie M. Alunan is composed
of only one stanza. Poems like this one, in poetry, are in free verse if they do not follow the usual
structure of a poem like 4 lines in a stanza and etc. The poem started with a strong sense or
feelings of fear that will instill in the minds of the readers. It’s like the poem is calling the people
who are unaffected by the typhoon for help or to not forget them. Then it clearly describes the
victims of the typhoon. At the end of the poem, the poet described the victims experience when
the typhoon came. It ends with the feeling of loss, sadness and other negative emotions just like
what the survivors felt after seeing their loved once be taken from them by the super typhoon.

2. How are the lines related to one another? Do you think the poem has organic unity?

The poem is composed of only one stanza, maybe the poet cannot find the right part to
cut the poem but it is still good. The lines seem to depend on one another just like what a story
is. The second line is the continuation of the first, the poem is like a grandmother telling a story
to her grandchildren. That is how the lines are related to one another. If you ask me whether the
poem has organic unity, what is organic unity? Organic unity is the idea of interdependent parts.
This poem definitely has organic unity due to the relationships of the lines to one another.

3. Who is the narrator in the poem? How was the narrator revealed to the reader? Did the poem
make an attempt for the readers to see the situation in the poem from the point of view of a first-
hand observer?

The narrator of the poem is a survivor of the typhoon, most probably, someone who lost
someone whom he/she values the most. By reading critically the poem, you can see that the
poem was narrated by someone who is not dead and you can see it clearly because of the
repeated use of “they” in the poem. Also, only someone who experienced the typhoon itself can
only narrate this poem detailed that is why the narrator is probably a survivor. The poem
attempted to make the readers see what exactly the situation is by clearly describing with the use
of so many descriptive words.
4. What representations or symbolisms are present in the poem? What are the figures of speech
used in the poem? Were those symbolisms and figurative language used to create an overall
impact?

The poet used symbolism in the poem. On the last part of the poem the poet described
the typhoon or the waves as sudden murk white wind seething water salt sand black silt which is
an example of symbolism. The poet also used personification, apostrophe and simile. The use of
such figures of speech contributed to the overall impact of the poem. The use of figures of speech
or figurative language made the poem more interesting and joyful to read. It also helped the
poet to clearly describe the situation in which the typhoon destroys and kills the people through
the creation of word pictures that helped the readers to imagine what Is being narrated.

5. How will you describe the word choice of the author? How do the individual word choices,
sound patterns and other literary devices combine to create a cohesive effect?

The word choice of the poet for me is just right. It is not too deep but not too shallow.
Any readers can easily understand what the poem is all about. The sound patterns and other
literary devices definitely helped create a cohesive effect. The poem, as I said earlier can be
easily understood because of the choice of words but it is also because of the literary devices
used by the poet. By using literary devices, the emotions or feelings like loss, pain, suffering, are
intensified in way that the readers will also feel. Me, as I read this Haiyan Dead, I felt the pain of
losing your loved ones which made me realize that I really do not want to lose anything. I can
easily imagine how they live there, what happened and how the victims die and that is because
of the literary devices used in the poem.

6 If the work contains literary allusions, how do those allusions function within the confines of
the poem?

The poem was entitled “Haiyan Dead” because it is about the victims of super typhoon
Haiyan or Yolanda. Reports of the aftermath and even when its currently happening shocked
many of the people in the Philippines and the world. Its strength that caused many houses to
fumble and many people to evacuate surprised us all. For that, the allusion of the typhoon
helped the readers to compare what is in the poem to what happened according to the news
report. This made them assimilate it and helped the poet to present her goal visibly.

7. What are the qualities of the poem which will qualify it as a good literary piece?

According to Wilson (2019) these are the qualities of a good literature.

Literature should have a theme
It should explain the relevance of the theme
Literature should have a compelling idea
Literature should have good style
Literature should sound genuine
 The poem Haiyan Dead contains all of it. The poem is about the victims and aftermath of
the typhoon, it has a good style, it is genuine and its idea is not old, it is new. All in all, we can
say that the literary piece is a good piece.
8. Translate the poem into prose

Reference:
Wilson. (2012). 5 essential qualities of a good literature. Retrieved October 19, 2019, from Wilson
World: https://www.colinwilsonworld.co.uk/5-essential-qualities-of-good-literature/