Author: Taylor Crozier

Theme: The Farm

Rationale:

This anthology of Australian poems with a preoccupation of The Farm is a selection which aims to display the ideals and values of life in rural and often isolated Australia. The theme is also linked to my own childhood on a farm as I was exposed to the hard working and strong-willed efforts and values of my grandparents and parents. The theme touches on the way that a farmer often battles against nature and the seasons and specifically the harshness of the Australian bush. There is also an idyllic and bucolic tone at times which reflects the simplicities of life on the land. “Outback” Australia, and hence value of the land and The Farm is a valued part of society (Bird, 2000) and thus this anthology aims to identify and examine the way this theme is represented within Australian Poetry.

The poems included in this anthology include many aspects of farming life including deforestation, plague, isolation, the relationship with animals and livestock, the change in farming that was prompted by the industrial revolution, the Australian country values of mateship and “a fair go”, drought and flooding rains, alcoholism and hardship. This vast array of themes and issues tie in with the central theme of The Farm and furthermore show the way it is a significant part of Australian society.

The poets included in the anthology span a range of ages and forms, however are all Australian and convey The Farm and the values and issues parallel to this theme. All of the included poems follow a rhyming scheme which allows each to create a sense of rhythm. This furthermore links with the preoccupation of The Farm as the use of rhyme and rhythm implies the poems would be sung or told aurally which would be done in the Australian Outback where most are set. The inclusion of the song lyrics of Adam Brand’s “Spirit of the Bush” furthermore supports the way poetry is a part of life on the land and how it is written about common values and issues therein. Language techniques include imagery which conveys the often pastoral setting and moreover humour an irony is used by many of the authors which is indicative of the Australian larrikin. The poems are listed in no specific order as themes were so overlapping that they were difficult to group.

References

Bird, C. (2000) The Penguin Century of Australian Stories. Australia: Penguin Books.