The Pride of Lions by Joanna Preston
‘The Pride of Lions’ by Joanna Preston describes what happens after a speaker’s husband is transformed into a lion. It presents a message about what relationships require in order to be successful.
Echoes of Cloncurry by Juliette A. H. Cavendish
‘Echoes of Cloncurry’ by Juliette A. H. Cavendish is a thoughtful poem about Cloncurry, Australia, and its entrancing past and present.
Barn Owl by Gwen Harwood
‘Barn Owl’ by Gwen Harwood is a powerful poem about losing one’s innocence. While using symbolism, the poet depicts a child sneaking off to shoot a barn owl.
No More Boomerang by Oodgeroo Noonuccal
‘No More Boomerang,’ a poem by the Aboriginal Australian political activist and poet Oodgeroo Noonuccal (also known as Kath Walker) features how the aboriginal culture is in crisis for the growing materialism and colonial hegemony.
Sleep by Kenneth Slessor
Kenneth Slessor’s ‘Sleep’ describes how an infant is born in the womb of a woman. This poem describes the journey of life from inanition to entity.
Suburban Sonnet by Gwen Harwood
‘Suburban Sonnet’ by Gwen Harwood is a powerful poem about a woman’s struggles with motherhood. It explores the mundane elements of her life and her lost dreams.
The Three Fates by Rosemary Dobson
‘The Three Fates’ by Rosemary Dobson describes the life of a man who is forced to live through the same events, in reverse, for eternity.
Check by James Brunton Stephens
‘Check’ by James Bunton Stephens is a short poem that presents a personified description of the coming of night as a woman.
The Old Year by Henry Kendall
‘The Old Year’ by Henry Kendall is an optimistic piece that deals with how time passes and the intangible impact it leaves on the present.
I Am Much Too Alone in this World, Yet Not Alone Enough by Rainer Maria Rilke
‘I Am Much Too Alone in this World, Yet Not Alone Enough’ describes the plight of a man torn between his own desires and those that he has adopted his falling in love.
Miscegenation by Roberta Sykes
‘Miscegenation’ by Roberta Skyes is a poem about identity and recognition. It focuses on a little girl who is yearning to find and know her father.
Reservist by Boey Kim Cheng
‘Reservist’ describes the repetitive nature of war and the preparations that go into arming reserve soldiers and preparing them for battle.
The Tiger in the Menagerie by Emma Jones
‘The Tiger in the Menagerie’, by the poet Emma Jones is a poem about the introduction of violence and wildness into a civilized society and what that would physically look like.