In These Two Poems, Gillian Clarke Gives The Impression Of Someone Who
Is Uncomfortable With Her Surroundings. Compare And Contrast Clarke's
Feelings About Violence, Change And The Attitude Of Those That
Perpetuate These Themes.
The intention of this essay is to compare the corresponding themes of
violence, change and the attitude of those who influence these themes
in the poems 'Jac Codi Baw' and 'No Hands'. Both poems are by Gillian
Clarke and give an insight into her feelings on modern society and the
way in which it disregards others feelings.
Clarke is obviously uncomfortable with the change that has, as she
sees, come so quickly. In 'Jac Codi Baw', Clarke seems most worried by
the suddenness of destruction-
"In the space of time it takes to fill a shopping bag". Clarke also
seems distressed by the transformation of a whole area, just by the
destruction of one building- "the hand-writing of a city will be
erased"; or in another way, the entire character of a city, or
particular part of that city is destroyed by the demolition of just
one [historic] building which gives that city its individuality.
In 'No Hands', Clarke approaches change from a different angle.
Whereas in 'Jac Codi Baw' change is seen as sudden and rapid, in 'No
Hands' change is more of a creeping tide, which does not make itself
immediately apparent. Clarke feels that the countryside is being
'invaded' by "silly boys" who "think they strum guitars". This refers
to the pilots of the warplanes, who do not know of Clarke's feelings
of intrusion and insecurity.
The use of peaceful words, to do with water and music, directly
contrast with the change intrusion that Clarke disagrees with-
"Shaking the world", the intrusion, follo...
... middle of paper ...
...use of the pilots apparent immaturity- "silly
boys", boy scaring boy", "all do and dare", "look at me, no hands" and
"lads high on speed" all relate to the pilots juvenile attitude.
Clarke reiterates the pilot's childish attitude by making the last
phrase ambiguous. This makes the point that the pilots act like they
are high on speed the drug, while actually just being high on the
speed of the planes. Clarke's unease is also with the thought that
these young men have entrusted to them, a multi-million pound
warplane, which they show off in as if they were using "surfboards
over crests".
In these two poems, Gillian Clarke has shown a passion, indeed almost
an obsession for preserving the 'old ways of life', particularly her
own. Her concerns are mainly about the needless change and violence in
modern life and the speed in which they can be brought about.
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.
In Gwen Harwood’s poetry, the changes in an individual’s perspective and attitudes towards situations, surroundings and, therefore transformations in themselves, are brought on by external influences, usually in the form of a person or an event. These changes are either results of a dramatic realisation, as seen with shattering of a child’s hopes in The Glass Jar, or a melancholy and gradual process, where a series of not so obvious discoveries produces similar reformation. An example of the later case would be Nightfall, the second section of Father and Child, where the persona refers to her forty years of life causing “maturation”. For the most part these changes are not narrated directly but are represented by using dynamic language techniques to illustrate constant change in the universe of the poem.
Hey guys, welcome to poetry fest, on this show I like to not only entertain but also inform. I want my audience to walk away learning something. Throughout this show I will be discussing how poetry can be used as a form of social commentary to generate social change. Today’s poem is featured from 1893 written by Henry Lawson when he was 26 years old, Out Back employs a series of figurative language devices to walk us through the adversities of a shearers life, the poem also shows a fairly negative view of Australia’s natural landscape. This is to be linked to the idea that this poem is a form of social commentary.
The struggles that many face while experiencing poverty are not like any other. When a person is experiencing poverty, they deal with unbearable hardships as well as numerous tragic events. Diane Gilliam Fisher’s collection of poems teaches readers about labor battles within West Virginian territories, at the beginning of the twentieth century. Some of these battles include the Battle of Matewan and Battle of Blair Mountain. The collection of poems is presented in many different manners, ranging from diary entries to letters to journal entries. These various structures of writing introduce the reader to contrasting images and concepts in an artistic fashion. The reader is able to witness firsthand the hardships and the light and dark times of impoverished people’s lives. He or she also learns about the effects of birth and death on poverty stricken communities. In the collection of poems in Kettle Bottom, Fisher uses imagery and concepts to convey contrast between the positive and negative aspects of the lives of people living in poverty.
Donald Bruce Dawe (AO) was a one of the most influential Australian poets of all time whom challenged readers with his strong moralistic messages throughout his work. During Dawe’s childhood, he moved throughout Melbourne while his father sought employment. He worked as a postman, lecturer, teacher, and was enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force, all as well as being a successful writer and poet. His life experiences are prevalent in his writing, where his moralistic and powerful views encourage deep interpretation and reevaluation. Dawe’s poem “Enter Without So Much As Knocking” challenges the themes of materialism and consumerism in a cynical manner. The piece draws focus to society’s conformity to such things, and our ideas as to what is important. “Drifters,” another of Dawe’s works, focuses on transience of life, looking at a family who constantly move around and struggle with the uncertainty of their future. “The Raped Girl’s Father,” one of Dawe’s stronger poems, powerfully argues society’s view of rape and specifically rape victims. The piece draws attention to the vulnerability that victims have as a result of judgment from those around them.
The powerful poem ‘Weapons Training’ showcases a sergeant, through malicious words, guiding his troops. However it is through ‘Homecoming’, where Dawe exposes the brutal hopelessness brought forth by the futility of war. Therefore it can be seen that war has an emotional toll on both families and the soldiers. Both poems have a recurring message that all war does is bring loss, death and mourning, showcasing Dawes strong opinions about a futile
The “Postscript” is a lyric in a single, informal verse paragraph that resembles a sonnet, though not keeping to all of the rules of the traditional poetic form. The poem joins a detailed account of an experience in which the speaker took a “drive out west / Into County Clare, along the Flaggy Shore” (1-2), with a reflection of what the speaker experienced, and advice on how the reader can create their own version of something similar. The structure of the poem coincides with the experience the speaker is describing, and even though the poem loosely follows a common sonnet structure, Heaney incorporates an irregular and arrhythmic pattern to the structure which conveys the spontaneity surrounding the fleeting moment that the speaker is experiencing. The conversational style of the poem, along with the structure, illustrates the extemporaneous nature of experience and thought, and through the use of enjambment, Heaney quickens the pace of the poem in order to ...
Good morning/afternoon invited teacher and students. The expressive poem ‘Clancy of the Overflow’ written by the prominent poet Andrew Barton Paterson illustrates the country life of a drover as the ideal lifestyle as it is the beauty and nature of mankind. This poem is extremely critical of city life and seems to only convey the negative aspects that are involved. During this analysis various poetic techniques as well as aesthetic features will be used including suggestive language, alliteration, metaphor and imagery are applied to describe the author’s use of poetic devices and to show how effectively the poet conveyed its messages and the link to Australian diversity.
Literature and poetry are a reflection of society. The words are reflected in numerous feelings that we can almost touch and can be deeply felt in its reach. Most poets expressed their perception and emotion through their writings. Unfortunately the art and poetry describes one of the worst things that human can do to one another. The legalized murder called "war." Hence, this type of self-reflection called "poetry" has help create new fundamental ideas and values towards our society. In this essay, I will discuss the issue of the "War Poetry" during the "Great War" along with comparing and contrasting two talented renowned poets; Wilfred Owen (1893-1918) and Siegfried Sassoon (1886-1967).
In the poem “Terminal Resemblance,” author, Louise Glück talks about her younger self and the complicated relationship with her father. Her father tells her that he will die soon and she does not know how to take it. Glück is not close with her father and never was before, even though he was always present in her life. When the father tries to connect with his daughter in the last conversation they have the speaker feels awkward because her father has never tried to have an emotional connection with her before so she focuses on her surroundings and notices how much life has changed while she was away. The speaker tries to focus on anything other than her father to avoid the fact that the father she was never close to is about to die.
Tim Wintons short story, “Neighbours” questions Australia's social discourse by exploring the transition of individuals into a new phase of life. Winton challenges society’s ignorance and cultural stereotypes by displaying a provocative new experience which has the ability to manipulate and change individuals perspectives. Society’s ignorance can be seen through the conflicting hyperbole, “good neighbours were seldom seen and never heard”, exploring the couples incomprehension of different cultures and lifestyles. The negative connotations surrounding the adverb “seldom seen” and “never heard” distort society's underlying values of love, respect and trust, consequently positioning the reader to consider the impact of new experiences in developing one's personal perspective. Moreover, Winton explores society's challenging and spurring transition into a new phase of life via the use of the emotive noun “murdering” in “their neighbours were not murdering each other, merely talking”. The noun, “murdering” juxtaposed with the positive imagery of “talking” posits the audience to society's dignity in the stereotypical context of Australia. Winton challenges the audience to question their moral truths and how a new experience can enlighten individuals to consider different cultures and perspectives. Composers manipulate the reader's perspectives through showing the transition into a new phase of life and how this has the ability to develop and individuals knowledge and
Black Swan Green and Letters to a Young Poet are stories with a central idea on the many aspects of beauty. Both of the works of literature share a character with a love for poetry. Black Swan Green and Letters to a Young Poet share a central idea but refine it differently. Each of the stories has characters who have a different opinion on the concept of beauty itself.
Gwendolyn Bennett and Jean Toomer approach the use of violence in their writing from two opposite angles. In Bennett’s poem “Hatred”, this violence is explicitly stated against white people and the institution of racism. Toomer, on the other hand, employs this violence in a domestic context. Both poems make use of images of weapons and elements of nature. These images reconcile two completely different works of literature by establishing them firmly within the culture of the American South.
“Ballad of Birmingham” evokes emotion by the use of conflict, irony, and imagery throughout the poem. In the dialogue between the mother and daughter we see a child who wants her voice to be heard, and a mother who refuses her child’s request by insisting that she go to church: a place that the mother deems to be safe and free from the hatred that will come from the impending confrontation. Randall’s choice to use the ballad form along with his strong words help us to feel the mother’s fear for her child and we assume the mother knew, from stories of previous marches, that dogs, clubs, and fire hoses will be used on the peaceful protestors. At the same time, ironically, the mother is detached from what is going on around her and one must wonder if she believes that the horrors will go away if she pretends it does not exist. The poem’s emotional and dramatic intensity is the fact that what begins as a normal conversation—a private moment between a mother and child, turns into a horror story at the end as the mother realizes that her fears have come to fruition, in what she considers the safest of places.
Owen’s poem uses symbolism to bring home the harsh reality of war the speaker has experienced and forces the reader to think about the reality presented in romanticized poetry that treats war gently. He utilizes language that imparts the speakers experiences, as well as what he, his companions, and the dying man feels. People really die and suffer and live through nightmares during a war; Owen forcefully demonstrates this in “Dulce et Decorum Est”. He examines the horrific quality of World War I and transports the reader into the intense imagery of the emotion and experience of the speaker.