BRUCE DAWE THEME LOVERELATIONSHIPS BY AS LITTLE AS

BRUCE DAWE THEME: LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS BY AS LITTLE AS A LOOK - 1967 THE TURNSTILES - 1981 DEFINITION OF LOVING - 1981 SUBURBAN LOVERS - 1968

CONTEXT THE POET’S WORLD Australian poet born in 1930 – present Lacked direction when he got older and got experience in a variety of occupations: labourer, postman, university failure, air force officer, father, teacher Wrote most of his poems during the Vietnam War (social context of the time) His life experience in all these areas helped Dawe to empathise with people from all different backgrounds. Empathy is a main characteristic of his poetry and he gives a voice to so-called “ordinary” Australians. Ability to express drama and beauty of everyday life makes it easy to relate to for the general public.

SUBURBAN LOVERS (1968)

SUBURBAN LOVERS – ANNOTATED

SUBJECT MATTER + PURPOSE Subject Matter: Young lovers from the suburbs who catch a train to and from work everyday. Bruce Dawe clearly establishes his subject matter in the title of his poem. Theme: The innocence of young love // Love is blind Purpose: To evoke emotion from the reader.

EMOTION Tone (author’s attitude toward the subject): Calm, relaxed Mood (emotions evoked by the poet in the reader): Contended, happy, at ease Atmosphere (setting created through poet’s word choice): Peaceful (in the lover’s world)

CRAFTSMANSHIP - STRUCTURE 23 -line poem made up of 2 stanzas Stanza 1 = 11 lines Stanza 2 = 12 lines Written in free-verse – no distinct rhyme scheme

CRAFTSMANSHIP - LANGUAGE Dawe uses figurative language to creatively interpret a trip on public transport. Figurative language = language that uses words or expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation. Literal language is when a writer states the facts as they are. Dawe uses a range of language techniques such as alliteration, metaphors, personification and imagery to express how the two lovers view the world.

CRAFTSMANSHIP – IMAGERY TECHNIQUE EXAMPLE REFLECTION/IMPACT Metaphor/ Imagery “Her thoughts lie kitten-curled in his…” ‘backyards greying with knowledge’ ‘pugnacious flowers’ The thoughts of a young girl are imagined as a “kitten” with the effect that we instantly import all our understandings of the word “kitten” to our knowledge of her personality. She seems fragile, innocent, dependent and perhaps lacking in a bit of selfdetermination. Imagery “…. On the cliff of kissing they know this stillness come down upon them…” To say that the lovers are on the “cliff of kissing” makes their moment alone seem fragile, delicate –even dangerous. Personification ‘Her thoughts lie kitten curled’ ‘they cross the line// while the boom-gate’s slender arms’ ‘The moon…raises its pale face’ ‘pugnacious flowers’ Personification breathes life into the poem. It shows that in the world of the lovers, something that is lifeless can be lively in their eyes.

CRAFTSMANSHIP – MOVEMENT Gentle Calm Remains the same the whole way through First stanza is more rhythmic

CRAFTSMANSHIP - SOUNDS TECHNIQUE EXAMPLE REFLECTION/IMPACT Alliteration ‘hold hands’ ‘rhythmic rails’ ‘breeze blowing’ Repeated sound enhances subject of the phrase. ‘R’ is a soft sound that when repeated sounds musical – this may be a metaphor for the train’s movements/ the lover’s relationship ‘B’ repeated, slows the reader down, forces them to visualize the setting Assonance ‘boom-gates slender arms constrain//the lines of waiting cars’ Helps to emphasize the repetitive nature of suburbia, such assonance is absent when speaking of the lovers.

SUMMARY • Bruce Dawe’s poem was not like his many other war poems, but rather a creative and emotive take on the suburbs and the simpler side of life. • Dawe is communicating the beauty in suburbia represented by his young lovers. • The world of suburbia is presented as a force that almost cocoons the lovers. Even the physical infrastructure of the suburbs is built with the purpose of: ‘sustaining them / against years’ seepage. ’ • The language techniques used emphasise the content of the poem and also relates to his portrayal of ‘everyday’ Australians making it easy to relate to.

PERSONAL CONNECTION • Dawe’s use of figurative language makes the poem interesting because you have to work to understand what he is trying to say. • Layers of meaning added depth and intrigue to my understanding of the poem while still remaining peaceful and calm on the surface • I can relate to some aspects of this poem as I, myself, caught the train twice a day for 9 years straight. • My train rides became a place a solitude where I would debrief on my day. In a way and observe the strangers that would come and go on each stop. Rather than being the one of the ‘lovers’ in this poem, I was more of an observer. I too, would often look out of the windows at the suburbs/ the world… • Perspective • Role reversal

BIBLIOGRAPHY HOW TO REFERENCE Book: Last Name, First Name. Title of book, Publisher company, Place of publication, year it was published. Website: Last Name, First Name. ‘Article Title’. Website Title. URL. Date Published. Web. Date Accessed.