AustLit logo
y separately published work icon Black Life : Poems selected work   poetry  
Issue Details: First known date: 1992... 1992 Black Life : Poems
The material on this page is available to AustLit subscribers. If you are a subscriber or are from a subscribing organisation, please log in to gain full access. To explore options for subscribing to this unique teaching, research, and publishing resource for Australian culture and storytelling, please contact us or find out more.

Notes

  • Dedication: To my wife.

Contents

* Contents derived from the St Lucia, Indooroopilly - St Lucia area, Brisbane - North West, Brisbane, Queensland,:University of Queensland Press , 1992 version. Please note that other versions/publications may contain different contents. See the Publication Details.
Black Lifei"The howl of a dingo", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 1)
Fireflyi"She floats through the night", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 2)
Earth Peoplei"Blacks in South Africa are clumsy", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 3)
Openi"Beat out the brass", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 4)
The Boyi"He walks barefoot through the paddock", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 5)
My Mother the Landi"Mother why don't you enfold me", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 6)
Needi"I need a bouquet of words today", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 7)
Eternityi"I sat and watched the sea come in", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 8)
Tapestryi"This world of white", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 9)
Shei"She never said goodbye", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 10)
No Namei"She drifted through", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 11)
Shop Wifei"She stands sombre faced", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 12)
The Old Man and the Floweri"He looked at it", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 13)
Rainbowi"Clouds frowned at me", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 14)
Magnoliai"Petals satin white", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 15)
Anniversaryi"Slim fingers entwined", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 16)
The Elderi"Cry softly my people", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 17)
A Night in the Bushi"The undergrowth is rustling with", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 18)
Storm in the Morningi"The growing light, a new day dawning", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 19)
Diali"Pick up the phone", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 20)

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

Other Formats

  • Also braille, sound recording.

Works about this Work

The Province of Every Person Michael Sharkey , 2016 single work criticism
— Appears in: The Poetic Eye : Occasional Writings 1982-2012 2016; (p. 305-307)
'For people who've followed his career as Aboriginal activist, playwright, and poet for the last twenty-five years, Jack Davis won't need an introduction. His first book, The First-Born and Other Poems, contained protest poems and laments for the loss of his Aboriginal past. His second collection Jagardoo, was published in 1978 and focused on Aboriginal life in urban settings. His plays have depicted incidents in Western Australian Aboriginal history since white settlement.' (Introduction)
Overhearing : Poetics of Place with Brief Reference to Jack Davis's Poetry John Kinsella , 2013 single work criticism
— Appears in: Island , Winter no. 133 2013; (p. 107-110)
Writing Their Own History : 'Aboriginal Australia' in the Poetry of Jack Davis and Kevin Gilbert Deepti Sharma , 2012 single work criticism
— Appears in: IJAS , no. 5 2012; (p. 84-97)
This paper : focuses on the history emerging out of the poems of these two writers Davis and Gilbert in the context of New Historical perspective.' (85)
'Why, White Man, Why?' : White Australia as the Addressee of Apostrophe in Contemporary Aboriginal Writing Russell West-Pavlov , 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)
An Elder's Perspective Hugh Oakes , 1997 single work review
— Appears in: Mattoid , no. 51 1997; (p. 237-239)

— Review of Black Life : Poems Jack Davis , 1992 selected work poetry
Additions and Rare Editions Leigh Sutton , 1992 single work review
— Appears in: The CRNLE Reviews Journal , no. 2 1992; (p. 53-59)

— Review of Black Life : Poems Jack Davis , 1992 selected work poetry ; Collits' Inn : An Australian Historical Musical Romance in Three Acts T. Stuart Gurr , 1932 single work musical theatre
[Review] The Friendly Street Poetry Reader no. 16 [et al] David Kelly , 1992 single work review
— Appears in: OzMuze , April vol. 2 no. 4 1992; (p. 9-10)

— Review of Friendly Street Poetry Reader : Sixteen 1992 anthology poetry ; Black Life : Poems Jack Davis , 1992 selected work poetry ; Akhenaten Dorothy Porter , 1992 single work novel
Some Australians John Leonard , 1992 single work review
— Appears in: Social Alternatives , October vol. 11 no. 3 1992; (p. 58-59)

— Review of Eagle and Emu : German-Australian Writing 1930-1990 Manfred Jurgensen , 1992 multi chapter work criticism ; Holding the Golden Apple : Love Poems Margaret Diesendorf , 1985 selected work poetry ; Australian Literary Studies vol. 15 no. 2 1991 periodical issue anthology ; Black Life : Poems Jack Davis , 1992 selected work poetry ; Dancing Table: Poems and Drawings 1986-1991 R. A. Simpson , 1992 selected work poetry ; Akhenaten Dorothy Porter , 1992 single work novel
Aboriginal Novel and Poetry Collection Raise Awareness - an Questions John P. Turner , 1993 single work review
— Appears in: Antipodes , June vol. 7 no. 1 1993; (p. 74)

— Review of Unbranded Herb Wharton , 1992 single work novel ; Black Life : Poems Jack Davis , 1992 selected work poetry
Bitter-Sweet Black Visions Adam Shoemaker , 1992 single work review
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian , 2-3 May 1992; (p. rev 6)

— Review of Black Life : Poems Jack Davis , 1992 selected work poetry
'Why, White Man, Why?' : White Australia as the Addressee of Apostrophe in Contemporary Aboriginal Writing Russell West-Pavlov , 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 David Headon , 1994 single work criticism
— Appears in: Jack Davis : The Maker of History 1994; (p. 79-97)
Overhearing : Poetics of Place with Brief Reference to Jack Davis's Poetry John Kinsella , 2013 single work criticism
— Appears in: Island , Winter no. 133 2013; (p. 107-110)
Writing Their Own History : 'Aboriginal Australia' in the Poetry of Jack Davis and Kevin Gilbert Deepti Sharma , 2012 single work criticism
— Appears in: IJAS , no. 5 2012; (p. 84-97)
This paper : focuses on the history emerging out of the poems of these two writers Davis and Gilbert in the context of New Historical perspective.' (85)
The Province of Every Person Michael Sharkey , 2016 single work criticism
— Appears in: The Poetic Eye : Occasional Writings 1982-2012 2016; (p. 305-307)
'For people who've followed his career as Aboriginal activist, playwright, and poet for the last twenty-five years, Jack Davis won't need an introduction. His first book, The First-Born and Other Poems, contained protest poems and laments for the loss of his Aboriginal past. His second collection Jagardoo, was published in 1978 and focused on Aboriginal life in urban settings. His plays have depicted incidents in Western Australian Aboriginal history since white settlement.' (Introduction)
Last amended 23 Sep 2009 12:59:53
X