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AbstractHistoryArchive Description
A collection of poems by Jack Davis that were inspired by his life, and that of his family.
Contents
* Contents derived from the
Sydney,
New South Wales,:Angus and Robertson
, 1970 version. Please note that other versions/publications may contain different contents. See the Publication Details.
- Introducing the Author, Richard Beilby (interviewer), single work interview (p. v-xvi)
- The First-Borni"Where are my first-born, said the brown land, sighing", single work poetry (p. 1)
- Retrospecti"When I was small", single work poetry (p. 2)
- The Boy and the Robini"The boy", single work poetry (p. 3-4)
- Camped in the Bushi"Wind in the hair", single work poetry (p. 5)
- The Childreni"The children walked through the bush together,", single work poetry (p. 6)
- The Boomerangi"You cunningly contrived piece of wood-", single work poetry (p. 7)
- Death of a Snakei"Six foot dugite of ebony sheen,", single work poetry (p. 8)
- Day Flighti"I closed my eyes as I sat in the jet", single work poetry (p. 9)
- Prejudicei"Is this a game", single work poetry (p. 10)
- Maureeni"Eyes sparkling,", single work poetry (p. 11)
- The Crippled Boyi"If you could run, child,", single work poetry (p. 12)
- My Dogi"You foolish creature charging in", single work poetry (p. 13)
- The Spider Webi"The web trembled, swayed,", single work poetry (p. 14)
- Memoryi"Something once said", single work poetry (p. 15)
- The Painteri"This is the canvas I can see:", single work poetry (p. 16)
- The Aboriginal Stockmani"Hands gnarled, fingers calloused by the bridle-rein;", single work poetry (p. 17)
- The Black Trackeri"He served mankind for many a year", single work poetry (p. 18)
- Warrui"Fast asleep on the wooden bench,", single work poetry (p. 19-20)
- Yadabookai"The desert wind, the harsh sun, your tribal land", single work poetry (p. 21)
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
-
Spinning the Dreamers : Jack Davis and the Drama of Assimilation
2015
single work
essay
— Appears in: Westerly , vol. 60 no. 1 2015; (p. 24-39) -
Overhearing : Poetics of Place with Brief Reference to Jack Davis's Poetry
2013
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Island , Winter no. 133 2013; (p. 107-110) -
'Why, White Man, Why?' : White Australia as the Addressee of Apostrophe in Contemporary Aboriginal Writing
2002
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Zeitschrift fur Anglistik und Amerikanistik , vol. 50 no. 2 2002; (p. 166-178)
— Appears in: Imaginary Antipodes : Essays on Contemporary Australian Literature and Culture 2011; (p. 23-36) 'Contemporary Australian indigenous literature is characterised by a remarkably prevalent use of apostrophic address directed at the white reader. This mode of direct address in black literary texts draws attention to the political dynamics moulding reader-writer relations in contemporary Australia. The article examines numerous examples of this direct mode of address in prose, poetry and drama, and argues that this direct mode of address is a central element in the message of black writers. The use of apostrophe implies the active 'positioning' of the white reader on the part of the indigenous speaker; only by virtue of this positioning is the reading process made possible. The direct mode of address in these texts thus demands that the reader take up a stance characterised by a readiness to listen attentively to black literary voices.' (Author's abstract) -
'Spanning the Sky with Outstretched Hands': The Making of a Poet
1994
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Jack Davis : The Maker of History 1994; (p. 79-97) -
The Poetry of Politics : Australian Aboriginal Verse
1989
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Black Words, White Page : Aboriginal Literature 1929-1988 1989; (p. 179-229) In this chapter the broad range of Aboriginal verse is examined to illustrate the diversity and talent of contemporary Black Australian poets. Shoemaker argues that any dismissal of Aboriginal poetry as simply propaganda is inaccurate and unfair. Aboriginal poetry ranges from the overtly political to celebrations of nature. The political stance of the writers is considered as well as the particular social conditions in which the writers live - and which they often address in their work. The works of Aboriginal poets Jack Davis, Kevin Gilbert, Colin Johnson, Lionel Fogarty and Aileen Corpus are examined. To emphasise the distinctive elements of writing produced by Aboriginal poets, Shoemaker provides a brief comparison to the work of selected white poets, Les Murray and Bruce Dawe. He also demonstrates the Fourth World dimension and increasingly oral predisposition of Australian Aboriginal verse by contrasting it with the poetry of contemporary Canadian Indian writers.
-
Australian Poets at Work : Some Recent Books
1971
single work
review
— Appears in: Poetry Australia , no. 38 1971; (p. 61-64)
— Review of Canticles on the Skin 1970 selected work poetry ; Witnesses of Spring : Unpublished Poems by Shaw Neilson 1970 selected work poetry ; Chung Hua, The Central Splendour : An Anthology from the Chinese Martin Haley (translator), 1970 anthology poetry ; Fingers at Air : Experimental Poems 1969 1969 selected work poetry ; Australian Poetry Now 1970 anthology poetry ; The Voyage to Brindisi and Other Poems, 1966-1969 1970 selected work poetry ; The First-Born and Other Poems 1970 selected work poetry ; Late Summer : Poems 1970 selected work poetry -
[Review] The First-Born and Other Poems
1970
single work
review
— Appears in: The Advertiser Magazine , 26 December 1970; (p. 12)
— Review of The First-Born and Other Poems 1970 selected work poetry -
Untitled
1971
single work
review
— Appears in: Western Australian Teachers' Journal , March 1971; (p. 62)
— Review of The First-Born and Other Poems 1970 selected work poetry -
Crying Mercy for 50,000
1971
single work
review
— Appears in: The Australian , 24 April 1971; (p. 20)
— Review of The First-Born and Other Poems 1970 selected work poetry ; My People : A Kath Walker Collection 1970 selected work poetry essay -
Old Verse
1971
single work
review
— Appears in: Southerly , vol. 31 no. 3 1971; (p. 227-240)
— Review of The Book of Bligh 1969 selected work poetry ; Rodney Hall Reads 'Romulus and Remus' 1970 selected work poetry ; Rosemary Dobson Reads from Her Own Work 1970 selected work poetry ; Altjeringa and Other Aboriginal Poems 1970 selected work poetry ; Findings and Keepings : Selected Poems, 1939-1969 1970 selected work poetry ; My People : A Kath Walker Collection 1970 selected work poetry essay ; The Branch of Dodona and Other Poems: 1969-1970 1970 selected work poetry ; Dunciad Minor 1970 sequence poetry ; James McAuley Reads from His Own Work 1970 selected work poetry ; The First-Born and Other Poems 1970 selected work poetry ; Op 8 : Poems 1961-69 1971 selected work poetry -
'Why, White Man, Why?' : White Australia as the Addressee of Apostrophe in Contemporary Aboriginal Writing
2002
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Zeitschrift fur Anglistik und Amerikanistik , vol. 50 no. 2 2002; (p. 166-178)
— Appears in: Imaginary Antipodes : Essays on Contemporary Australian Literature and Culture 2011; (p. 23-36) 'Contemporary Australian indigenous literature is characterised by a remarkably prevalent use of apostrophic address directed at the white reader. This mode of direct address in black literary texts draws attention to the political dynamics moulding reader-writer relations in contemporary Australia. The article examines numerous examples of this direct mode of address in prose, poetry and drama, and argues that this direct mode of address is a central element in the message of black writers. The use of apostrophe implies the active 'positioning' of the white reader on the part of the indigenous speaker; only by virtue of this positioning is the reading process made possible. The direct mode of address in these texts thus demands that the reader take up a stance characterised by a readiness to listen attentively to black literary voices.' (Author's abstract) -
Backgrounds to Aboriginal Literature
1988
single work
essay
— Appears in: Black Voices , vol. 4 no. 1 1988; (p. 42-55) -
The Aboriginal Poets in English : Kath Walker, Jack Davis, and Kevin Gilbert
1977
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Meanjin , Aboriginal Issue [Summer] vol. 36 no. 4 1977; (p. 446-461) -
The Poetry of Politics : Australian Aboriginal Verse
1989
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Black Words, White Page : Aboriginal Literature 1929-1988 1989; (p. 179-229) In this chapter the broad range of Aboriginal verse is examined to illustrate the diversity and talent of contemporary Black Australian poets. Shoemaker argues that any dismissal of Aboriginal poetry as simply propaganda is inaccurate and unfair. Aboriginal poetry ranges from the overtly political to celebrations of nature. The political stance of the writers is considered as well as the particular social conditions in which the writers live - and which they often address in their work. The works of Aboriginal poets Jack Davis, Kevin Gilbert, Colin Johnson, Lionel Fogarty and Aileen Corpus are examined. To emphasise the distinctive elements of writing produced by Aboriginal poets, Shoemaker provides a brief comparison to the work of selected white poets, Les Murray and Bruce Dawe. He also demonstrates the Fourth World dimension and increasingly oral predisposition of Australian Aboriginal verse by contrasting it with the poetry of contemporary Canadian Indian writers. -
'Spanning the Sky with Outstretched Hands': The Making of a Poet
1994
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Jack Davis : The Maker of History 1994; (p. 79-97)
Last amended 19 Feb 2014 12:14:30
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