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View Full Version : Poem similarly themed to Catch-22?



Alexje4400
05-19-2009, 04:57 PM
Hey everyone,

I'd like to find a few poems with an anti-bureaucracy theme like the novel Catch-22. Any ideas? I could use more than one but any help would be appreciated.

Wilde woman
05-19-2009, 06:15 PM
Auden's "The Unknown Citizen" is perfect for your theme. It's funny and uses great irony to make fun of the bureaucratic values. Here's the poem:

http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15549

And a nice analysis of it: http://www.shmoop.com/intro/poetry/w-h-auden/the-unknown-citizen.html

Another great anti-war poem is Wilfred Owen's "Dulce et Decorum Est". It's not as funny or sarcastic as either Catch-22 or Auden's poem, but it offers a very sobering view of war: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/19389

Again, a short analysis of it: http://www.shmoop.com/intro/poetry/wilfred-owen/dulce-et-decorum-est.html

Good luck!