The poem ‘Refugee Blues’ puts the reader in a context of war or persecution due to religion or politics where as ‘You Will Be Hearing from Us Shortly’ puts the reader in the context of an interview. These are the words resounding in the ears of unemployed people who seek suitable employment. Though the words sound very polite, they are loaded with prejudice. ‘Refugee Blues’ expresses the unhappiness of their lives. The answer or fate of the candidate in ‘You will be hearing from us shortly’ is certain whereas in ‘Refugee Blues’ it remains uncertain.
The interviewer in the poem ‘You Will Be Hearing from Us Shortly’ is in a superior position. He uses sophisticated language which implies that he is well educated. The language is used in such a way that it sounds very snobbish and rude. Though the responses of the interviewee are not recorded, it is quite understandable what the candidate would have said in reply to the queries made by the interviewer. The interviewee seems to be intimidated and feels insignificant for what he/she is.
‘Refugee Blues’ on the other hand brings out the distress of a refugee. Even though the refugees are given an inferior position, it is they who set the mood for the poem. ‘Refugee Blues’ mainly concentrates on refugee’s conversation. Hitler’s words are given in just two lines even though he seems to possess the same authority as the interviewer in ‘You Will Be Hearing from Us Shortly’, In short; the oppressed people’s feelings are given in ‘Refugee Blues’ while the interviewee in ‘You Will Be Hearing from Us Shortly’ remains silent. The interviewer is in command of the situation and controls through his use of sarcasm and rhetorical questions. Both the poems ‘You Will Be Hearing from Us Shortly’ and ‘Refugee Blues’ bring a code of sympathy.
‘Refugee Blues’ opens on a factual note on the basic need- shelter of both extremes ‘mansions and holes’, concluding at large ‘there is no place for us’, highlighting their distress of not having a home in the wide land. In the poem ‘You Will Be Hearing from Us Shortly’, the interviewee is made to feel ashamed of the country where he was born. This leaves him in a condition where he doesn’t feel the urge to be back in his country. This stands in stark (clear contrast) with the refugees’ feelings. ‘Once we had a country’ brings a glitter to the refugee’s eyes when he recalls the bygone days, feeling secure at the sense of belongingness- only to end in despair at not being able to go there now.
‘Refugee Blues’ introduces many characters and personalities like ‘consul’, ‘committee’, ‘public meeting’, ‘speaker’, ‘Hitler’ where as ‘You Will Be Hearing from Us Shortly’ deals with just the interviewee and interviewer. The poem ‘Refugee Blues’ describes the refugee’s feelings in different situations whereas ‘You will be hearing from us’ concentrates just on the context of the interview.
Auden uses bird imagery and animal imagery to show that the refugees are being treated lower than animals and being considered as sub-humans ’they weren’t human race.’ U.A Fanthorpe has not used any of the above except the whole poem written in an exaggerated way or a hyperbole.
The plight of the refugee was a political decision where as the interviewee’s is based on a committee’s decisions. The refugee uses first person plural ‘we’ to refer to his fellow refugees where as the use of first person plural ‘we’ in the poem, ‘You Will Be Hearing from Us Shortly’ gives the speaker an air of authority. The first person plural ‘We’ in ‘You will be hearing from us shortly’ is used by the group who are in the dominant position, but in ‘Refugee Blues’ it is used by the sect who are treated unfairly and are in an inferior position.
Auden has used many language techniques like metaphor in verse one which emphasizes the complete power and tyranny of Hitler saying ‘They Must Die’. The onomatopoeic rumbling hints at the continuous action of the dictator in exterminating the Jews. Auden has also used hyperbole like Fanthorpe, ‘Thousand floors…thousand windows…thousand doors’ which refers to the many races of the world that are accepted. Fanthorpe has used alliteration in the words ‘dubious desire’, ‘Domestic disasters’ that gives a clue to the extent of degradation.
In the poem ‘Refugee Blues’ we get an idea about the pathetic condition through refugee’s own direct speech. Whereas in ‘You will be hearing form us shortly’ it is hinted or the reader’s are given the clues through the interviewer’s spoken words.
The poem ‘You Will be Hearing From Us Shortly’ is written in short stanzas followed by a single line, most often by one word ‘ah’, ‘indeed’ etc which suggest that a conversation has taken place. Lines of varying length are used in order to suit the mood of the speaker which is controlling and demanding. ‘Refugee Blues’ is written in twelve stanzas of three lines each with rhyme scheme ‘aab’.
Nine stanzas begin with verbs which show the need for urgent action in the atmosphere of desperateness and gloominess. The tight structure of Auden’s poem is evident in the constant repetition of the third line in each stanza. This repetition enforces the scene of impending doom and progression towards death.
‘You will be Hearing from us Shortly’ mostly contains inappropriate questions which shows the height of prejudice and misuse of the power that even the very existence of the interviewee is questioned, ‘and you were born?’ The twelve time repetition of the phrase ‘my dear’ highlights the intimate relationship. As readers, both the poems evoke in us is sympathetic feelings and our hearts become heavy that we wish for a better world where all the human beings could co-exist.
