Essay about Kenneth Slessor Poetry Speech - 848 Words

Have you ever felt like time was running past you? That the world kept spinning while you just stood still? Time is a central theme in many of Kenneth Slessor’s poems, however it is primarily explored through ‘Out of time’ and ‘Five Bells’. Slessor has made it obvious that he is aware that time continues whether we want it to or not and this is what allows us to put into perspective the notion of humanity’s dominance. Slessor uses a cyclical structure in both poems proving effective in helping portray the theme of time. This is shown through the repetition in the beginning and ending lines in Out of time and is similarly explored in Five bells via the sound of the bells that unify the poem which are also repeated. In ‘Out of time’†¦show more content†¦By using the cyclic structure the end is firmly tied to the beginning, the structure is very appropriate for this poem and the theme of time, as it reflects the continuum of time wonderfully. The idea of time can also be seen throughout ‘Five bells’ which is considered to be Slessor’s best poem and is one of Australia’s best known works. The poem was written in remembrance of Slessor’s friend Joe and the character he was as well as revealing the effect his death had on Slessor. In the beginning of the poem we see the line â€Å"Time that is moved by little fidget wheels† conveying the meaning he was taken before his time. This refers to the chronological and systematic time of humanity in which is measured by minutes and hours, shown on clocks that are symbolised by bells. This concept of time is far more powerful with the use of personification as emphasised by the capitalisation. The persona tells of listening to the bells in the harbour, â€Å"From the dark warship riding there below†. The following memories of his friend Joe occur between the rolling of the bells, â€Å"between the double and single bell†. This would be a few seconds so it does not follow the logical sectioning of human time, which is very similar to the meniscus in ‘Out of time’. The refrain, â€Å"five bells†, in italics is like a stage direction that reminds us the bells are still in the process ofShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Poem The Of The Light Brigade By Kenneth Slessor1491 Words   |  6 PagesSpeech Draft War Poetry â€Å"Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words.† Like movies, novels and music, poems are texts that people use to reflect on their lives and experiences. Poems can have an impact on people’s thinking, not only through the things they might say to their readers, but through the discussions that readers have with each other about poems. I truly agree with this statement and believe that it accurately describes how people can reflect on their