ANZAC POEM

[Neville Briggs]

Poems about ANZAC Day occur frequently in the bush poetry offerings.
I saw a poem about ANZAC day that I thought was really good, it is by a man who is very well known and not a bush poet, probably someone you might be surprised to find is an accomplished poet, and that is Aussie ex-pat Clive James.

The poem is called In Town for the March and you can view it on the website , clive james .com

I think reading poems like this is a good exercise which will help us see how we can approach favourite themes in a fresh way. ( yes it's in rhymed, iambic tetrameter )

[Bob Pacey]

Thanks Nev will have a look at that I have some time to peruse ( big word for me ) I would normally say take a gander at the site.


Bob

Yes I see what you mean Neville words that envoke ( there I go again ) feelings and paint a picture.

Everyone have a look if you have not already done so.

[Maureen K Clifford]

Thanks Neville for the heads up I enjoyed reading it and browsing through Clives work...I liked 'Iron Horse' terrific pictures painted with words..

.The Sioux, believing ponies should be pintos,
Painted the ones that weren't.

liked this description so much - thought it fabulous - would love to use it myself actually but that would not be the correct thing to do.

and Tramps and Bowlers - what a practical outlook on what some would see as a problem.

I was very impressed...and to think we/I never knew.

Cheers

Maureen

[Vic Jefferies]

Clive James is an internationally renowned poet and has a number of poetry books to his credit. He has a rare style and is someone I always enjoy reading. Sadly, I heard the other day that he is now suffering from Leukemia.
Vic

[Neville Briggs]

Bob, Maureen, Vic. Thanks for the replies.

Clive James poem In Town for The March is best if read a couple of times after a bit of an explanation.
He speaks first of how Sydney has changed and points out the presence of goods and technology from Germany and Japan, the old enemies.
Then he talks about the old Aussie public friendliness that seems to have disappeared in the world of mobile phones. His most poignant lines are about women calling out to men in the ANZAC march to receive a friendly wave and how there are some who have no one to call out to, their men never came back.

At the last lines you might detect that the flashback to childhood with his mother reveals that his mother was one of those who didn't have anyone to call to, his father never came back from the war.

[mummsie]

Thanks Neville, reading your remarks about reading a poem for a second and third time brings better understanding of the subject, I am reminded of an occasion when I was around 8/9 years of age and we were given the poem Anzac Cove to learn for homework [obviously Anzac Day was approaching].Pretty heavy stuff for a kid to be learning. Well I spent the weekend learning that poem, parrot fashion. One afternoon, sitting on the steps, saying the words out loud, proud of the fact I new every word, My dad came and sat next to me and asked, ''do you understand the meaning of the words''. I looked at him, puzzled, I'd learn't them, wasn't that enough. He then went on to explain each line and it's meaning, in a way a child might understand. I remember when he reached the last line, looking at him and seeing tears on his cheeks, this would be my first memory of seeing my Dad cry.Well I got that poem, and it got me. On returning to school, the teacher asked who had learnt the poem, I was the only one to put their hand up, so was asked to come out and recite it. When I reached the last line, I too had tears streaming down my cheeks, not sure if this was the poem or the effect seeing my Dad in tears.Now theres not an Anzac day goes by I dont recite that poem in my mind.
Sue

Anzac Cove
Leon Gellert
There's a lonely stretch of hillocks
There's a beach asleep and drear
There's a battered broken fort beside the sea.
There are sunken trampled graves
And a little rotting pier
And winding paths that wind unceasingly.
There's a torn and silent valley
There's a tiny rivulet
With some blood upon the stones beside its mouth.
There are lines of buried bones
There's an unpaid waiting debt
And the sound of gentle sobbing in the south.

[Neville Briggs]

That's it Sue, that's it for sure.

[Heather]

Sue thanks for sharing that poem, it is stunning.

Heather

[Maureen K Clifford]

totally agree - thank you Sue and a thank you sent to your Dad as well for taking the time to help a child to learn a love of words, and understand the meaning behind them.

Cheers

Maureen