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'Bruce Dawe: Life Cycle acknowledges one of Australia's best known poets and one of his best known poems. His life cycles have been poverty, perseverance and personal happiness; the rhythms of his being are the rhythms of his poetry - persistently fearless in speaking out on social and political issues; consistently sensitive and lyrical about painful concerns; insistently witty and satirical on just about anything. His range of poetry resists wrong and reveals a great love of his fellow man and a deep understanding of life. This biography is the first time that Dawe's life has been interpreted in full through his poetry, and the poems take on new significance when read in this context. The subject is telling some of the story in his own words - in poems.
Sometimes Gladness is Dawe's signature title and a best-seller of about 130,000 copies. Now in it's sixth edition, the book expresses a life long attempt to understand the balance between gladness and grief, the common factors of human experience. Verse cartooning and satirical humour, the constants of more than fifty years of writing, are much admired and enjoyed by readers and listeners of all ages. Dawe, one of Australia's first and most successful performance poets, provides imaginative scope to fill the spaces between humour and the pathos.
The reader of Bruce Dawe: Life Cycle shares a large experience, which effectively starts with 'Strictly En Passant', the first poem in the first book, No Fixed Address. Dawe looks forward to the multiplicity of 'feel and fragrance, sound and sheen' that his life will hold and he anticipates that, while he may not fully understand yet the meaning of a satisfactory existence, 'Time may build on this...' the existence culminates in 'Autobiography', in which Dawe measures what has been built. He says that he 'wouldn't have missed for anything' the experience of his life.' (Publisher's blurb)
Notes
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Dedication: For Martin Duwell, good friend and astute critic.
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This biography also includes some poetry; these poems are indexed separately.
Contents
- Commemorative Poem : for George Stirling, English Master, and for Northcote Highi"School, where my schooling ended - and began!", single work poetry (p. 41)
- The Eleveni"Cricket in the sun and the game has just begun", single work poetry (p. 51)
- Reading John Morrisoni"I'll never leave the Left, however much", single work poetry (p. 52)
- Players and Workers : A Public Works Department Memoryi"There were five of us in the gang:", single work poetry (p. 57-8)
- To C : For a Farewelli"Blesséd be Jesus who has set", single work poetry (p. 102)
- Reprisei"All that you ever did was love me.", single work poetry (p. 104-5)
- Glass Slipper for Salei"According to all expectations I should have", single work poetry humour (p. 109-10)
- No Fixed Address (for Old Harry)i"Here in solemn state lies one", single work poetry (p. 117)
- The Flashing of Badgesi"The first thing the dead-beat does", single work poetry (p. 118)
- Dogs in the Morning Lighti"Responsive to the tune of lawns and trees", single work poetry (p. 123-4)
- Provincial Cityi"Climbing the range", single work poetry (p. 126-7)
- Poems for Gloria: Todayi"Once I myself believed:", single work poetry (p. 132-3)
- Author, Pleasei"Don't need a course in literary appreciation to know", single work poetry (p. 135)
- Bowing Outi"My payment's been in thinking,", single work poetry (p. 136)
- Condolences of the Seasoni"And now it seems that you and I, my son,", single work poetry humour (p. 137-8)
- 'A' is for Asiai"It is part of our peculiar charm that each time we witness", single work poetry (p. 141-2)
- How to Win Friendsi"Thinking it over - rather than resent", single work poetry (p. 143)
- Butterworth Roadi"Bus-loads of foreign-ness, we run", single work poetry (p. 146-7)
- Katrinai"Katrina, now you are suspended between earth and sky.", single work poetry (p. 150)
- Driftersi"One day soon he'll tell her it's time to start packing,", single work poetry (p. 154)
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
-
A Fortunate Life
2010
single work
review
— Appears in: Australian Book Review , February no. 318 2010; (p. 42-43)
— Review of Bruce Dawe : Life Cycle 2009 single work biography -
Off the Shelf : Biography
2009
single work
review
— Appears in: The Age , 5 December 2009; (p. 28)
— Review of Bruce Dawe : Life Cycle 2009 single work biography -
Taking the Measure of an Enigmatic Master Poet
2009
single work
review
— Appears in: The Canberra Times , 28 November 2009; (p. 13)
— Review of Bruce Dawe : Life Cycle 2009 single work biography
-
Taking the Measure of an Enigmatic Master Poet
2009
single work
review
— Appears in: The Canberra Times , 28 November 2009; (p. 13)
— Review of Bruce Dawe : Life Cycle 2009 single work biography -
Off the Shelf : Biography
2009
single work
review
— Appears in: The Age , 5 December 2009; (p. 28)
— Review of Bruce Dawe : Life Cycle 2009 single work biography -
A Fortunate Life
2010
single work
review
— Appears in: Australian Book Review , February no. 318 2010; (p. 42-43)
— Review of Bruce Dawe : Life Cycle 2009 single work biography