intone
(verb) say or recite with little rise and fall of the pitch of the voice
Belfast
(proper noun) Belfast is the capital city of Northern Ireland. The poem references Belfast in the context of 'The Troubles,' a long-lasting, violent conflict in Ireland stretching from the 1960s until 1998.
Beirut
(proper noun) Beirut is the capital city of Lebanon. The poem refers to the Lebanese Civil War, which began on April 13, 1975. Military forces attempted to siege Beirut in the 1970s.
Phnom Penh
(proper noun) Phnom Penh is the capital city of Cambodia.
dispel
(verb) make (a doubt, feeling, or belief) disappear
agonies
(noun) extreme physical or mental suffering
prick
(of tears) cause the sensation of imminent weeping in (a person's eyes)
impassively
(adverb) not feeling or showing emotion
