Analysis Of Sometimes Gladness By Bruce Dawe

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‘Sometimes Gladness’, a collection of poems by Bruce Dawe presents various references to Australian culture; although these can often be overlooked by the reader, due to more prominent themes relating to the human experience, which engages and preoccupies the reader instead. ‘Drifters’ and the ‘Reverie of a Swimmer’ can be easily recognised as Australian, however, these poems amongst others like ‘Homecoming’, ‘Enter Without so much as Knocking’ and ‘LifeCycle’ also aim to address and engage a larger audience to consider universal issues like grief, isolation and loss. Lastly, a distinct Australian poem would only be expected to explore issues relating to the country’s individual culture or issues, though Dawe chooses to represent many prevalent

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