How has poetry represented the perspective of challenges faced by Aboriginal peoples? Poems can be more than just a way to entertain, but can be a way to record, and inform a much deeper meaning through their symbolism and poetic devices. Which is done thoroughly throughout my chosen poems: Municipal Gum, Gooboora Gooboora, the silent pool, Aboriginal mother, and the Aboriginal death song. All these poems are in relation to how poetry has shown different lenses upon the experiences of Australia's native peoples and are each deeply nuanced. Aboriginal mother centers around a deeply tragic tale of the Myall Creek massacre, where a group of native people are needlessly slaughtered, all due to their ethnicity. The poem is written through the perspective of an Aboriginal woman, who as the poem develops, loses her child. This is made clear when she says, "What would thy mothers tears, or feeble strength avail! ", this statement also exemplifies the hopelessness of their situation and could potentially be interpreted as an allegory of the Aboriginal people's dire circumstances. Later …show more content…
Kath Walker (OODGEROO NOONUCCAL) writes Municipal Gum in a statement to call out those who stood aside during the period of Aboriginal denigration. They also demonstrate the continual continuations of this abuse into the modern world by referencing how the effects of white society's wrongdoings still seep into the contemporary era. This is supported by line 17 "What have they done to us" implying the long-term effects of how Aboriginal citizens in the era the poem was written in(1960s) still suffer to a high degree. The poem as a whole, is a commentary on the wrongdoings of white society and how they are still prevalent today, which is offered through the perspective of a gumtree, forced to reside in the
‘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
Poetry is painting that speaks. It might be defined as the clear expression of cloudy feelings. Composers use poetry to shape their perspective for the responder to interpret. Australia has inspired how poets use skilful language to describe its distinctive beauty. Australian vision is exemplified in Douglas Stewart’s
The Anzac spirit is not defined by any simple term; it is defined by the acts of valour and heroism of a person or group of Australians. The first Australian to be recognised with the highest award of bravery was Sir Neville Howse after the Boer war in South Africa (1900). The Highest medal available to troops, The Victorian Cross is awarded to a person who “in the presence of the enemy, displays the most conspicuous gallantry; a daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice; or extreme devotion to duty.” Howse was once again sent to fight for his country in World War 1 where he demonstrated his Australian clout for the second time in war. Howse demonstrated the Anzac attitude throughout his whole life leading him to things like serving as the Commonwealth Minister of Health. Howse demonstrated the values of someone worthy of the Victorian Cross through everything he did, thus allowing a spark of the soon to be dubbed Anzac spirit to be kindled and kept alight throughout the rest of Australian
Poetry has been used for centuries as a means to explore emotions and complex ideas through language, though individuals express similar ideas in wholly different forms. One such idea that has been explored through poetry in numerous ways is that of war and the associated loss, grief, and suffering. Two noted Australian poets shown to have accomplished this are Kenneth Slessor with his work ‘Beach Burial’ and John Schumann’s ‘I Was Only Nineteen’. Both of these works examine the complexities of conflict, but with somewhat different attitudes.
I believe my poetry should be included in your collection for I have lived and breathed Australian culture for just over 50 years now, I have recorded my way of life in my poems, and in particular I have a specific poem to refer to you, that is of my own and two others (also of my own work) that I think are you should seriously consider having in your collection.
Bruce Dawe is considered to be one of Australia’s most influential poets of the 20th century. Dawe’s poems capture Australian life in numerous ways, whether it is our passion for AFL in Life-Cycle or our reckless nature towards war as in Homecoming. Dawe creates very complicated poems reflecting the author’s context relevant to the time period, your context is based upon your reading of the poem, where you may gather different meanings, to that of the original intent, hidden within the text.
Or so it may seem. Australia is a land known for its multiculturalism. Immigration is welcomed, embraced. This a place where people drive Japanese cars to Indian restaurants and drink Belgian beers with Thai curry. But is this as far as it goes? You’re welcome into our country if you can provide us with cheap food and entertainment? For many immigrants the answer to that question is yes and the only way to express their feelings of oppression is through poetry.
The poems Pietà by James McAuley and November by Simon Armitage are confrontational as they revolve around the theme of life. Life, death and grief are all something that every person will experience here on earth. Life… Death… Grief…The existing themes are already confronting but with the poets application of poetic techniques the two poems are able to be effective.
The poems facilitate the investigation of human experience through illustrating life’s transience and the longevity of memory.
In about every primary school in Australia Walker’s poem are used as literacy devices in teaching the younger generations about Indigenous culture
Throughout his poetry, Collins demonstrates, in a witty and satirical voice, his insightfulness towards the objects, using numerous poetic devices, especially allusions and metaphors to effectively convey his messages, most of which revolves around the theme of death. Humor and irony are unique combinations Collins displays in many of his poems, challenging the readers to interpret his work from different perspectives. In “Introduction to Poetry,” Collins offers a witty comparison between the definition of poetry and various other experiments. He asks the reader to “hold [the poem] up to the light/ like a color slide” (1-3), “press an ear against its hive” (4), “drop a mouse into a poem” (5), “walk inside the poem's room” (7), and “waterski across the surface of a poem” (9-10). Rather than stiffly explaining the definition of a poem, he finds creative and humorous approaches to explain his methods of enjoying the poems, and promote the readers’ interest towards discovering the true meaning of poetry.
Billy Collins has used a specific metaphor, simile, rhyme and personification in his poem ‘Introduction to poetry’ in order to show how one should better understand a poem. This poem focused on what the poem actually mean and how a poem should be clearly understood. Throughout the poem, Billy Collins has presented a clear way of understanding the poem by using a very interesting imagery, symbolism, metaphor and a very sensitive sound. The words used in this poem are so powerful that the readers are convinced to think about the issue presented in the poem.
For years, the welfare topic has been debated, and throughout history, both failed and thriving solutions have been seen to this dispute. The settlement of the matter of welfare came from independently sponsored programs only to be replaced by government funded organizations and devices to benefit the less fortunate using taxes, aids, and deductions. With the only hope to overcome the grief stricken state our country has been in over the centuries of seeing the destruction of nations over the word that stirs up a variety of emotions, welfare, to be the decreased amount and time government support should be offered. Most importantly, as seen through the effects of social welfare, the need for change in responsibility, the root of the problem, is to be Christians and the community rather than the government’s, whose failed efforts left our country in declining “poverty” as identified by the means-tested programs and raised taxes.
The Theme of Loss in Poetry Provide a sample of poetry from a range of authors, each of whom portrays a different character. the theme of loss in some way. Anthology Introduction The object of this collection is to provide a sample of poetry from a range of authors, each of whom portray the theme of ‘loss’ in some way. The ‘Loss’ has been a recurring theme in literature for centuries, from.
Poems have the ability to express thoughts into words. They convey messages and stories for the audience to interpret, and emotions for the audience to feel. Gwen Harwood, one of Australia’s most highly regarded poets, demonstrates sophistication and provokes emotions from the audience with descriptive use of imagery and inspiring messages in her poems. Harwood uses different methods to portray the themes of innocence, death and rebelling against authority in her poem Barn Owl. These ideas are clearly depicted through the use of literary techniques such as onomatopoeia, alliteration, imagery, direct speech and metaphors in the poem.