Les Murray and His Poems - 834 Words

Poets express their concerns in their work and use language techniques to enhance the poem. This is revealed through the works of Les Murray. Les Murray is a famous Australian poet who was born and raised in the country and is a dedicated Roman Catholic. This is reflected in the poems ‘Driving through Sawmill Towns’ and ‘An Absolutely Ordinary Rainbow’. His laconic and personal poetic style reinforces the messages he attempts to convey to his audience through the use of rich symbolism and imagery. The poem ‘Driving through Sawmill Towns’ describes the people and the scenery of a rural town. In the poem, Les Murray writes from the perspective of a person driving a car through a rural town. Throughout the poem Les Murray uses imagery such†¦show more content†¦The sentence â€Å"Men sit after tea by the stove while their wives talk, rolling a dead match between their fingers, thinking of the future.† The ‘dead match’ and the fact that the rural workers are ‘thinking about their future’ is symbolic and suggests the idea that by staying in the countryside, there really is no future for them as rural towns are dying out and many have left for the city. Nevertheless, in the poem ‘An Absolutely Ordinary Rainbow, Murray refers to his strong belief for his religion. Murray shows his devotion for his religion through various religious allusions from the bible. This includes the legend of the Wolf of Gubbio, where Saint Francis of Assisi was believed to have tamed a wolf and had the ability to influence other animals. â€Å"Come near him and sit at his feet, with dogs and dusty pigeons†. Another religious allusion is â€Å"I see a woman, shining, stretch her hand and shake as she receives the gift of weeping† is a representation of receiving the Holy Spirit. He compares the beauty of weeping and the pure emotion it contains to a religiousShow MoreRelatedDepiction of Different Types of Journeys through Literature1229 Words   |  5 Pagestexts contain one or a combination of these journeys. Les Murray, an Australian poet, has a very strong concept of journeys throughout his poems. Through the use of such techniques as figurative language and film a composer can express their individual concept of journeys. Les Murray’s poem â€Å"Widower in the Country† is a mixture of a physical and emotional journey which traces a mindless, daily routine of a grieving widower. Les has presented his idea that a physical journey can mask a deep emotionalRead MoreAnalysis of Widower in the Country by Les Murray Essay620 Words   |  3 PagesThursday, 14 June 2012 12:19 PM Les Murrays poem Widower in the Country highlights the painful effect of the death of a loved one. His tone in this poem is one of grief and loneliness, and through strong imagery and emotive language, the composer draws out empathy and interest from the reader. This poem describes how repetitive life becomes after someone very close to you passes away.    The composer conveys a strong feeling of grief and pain in the poem. The composer creates an empathy towardsRead MoreDriving Through Sawmill Towns poem analysis Essay2396 Words   |  10 PagesDriving Through Sawmill Towns by Les Murray In the high cool country, having come from the clouds, down a tilting road Into a distant valley, You drive without haste. 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