Train Journey Poem by Judith Wright

Train Journey

Rating: 5.0


Glassed with cold sleep and dazzled by the moon,
out of the confused hammering dark of the train
I looked and saw under the moon's cold sheet
your delicate dry breasts, country that built my heart;
and the small trees on their uncoloured slope
like poetry moved, articulate and sharp
and purposeful under the great dry flight of air,
under the crosswise currents of wind and star.
Clench down your strength, box-tree and ironbark.
Break with your violent root the virgin rock.
Draw from the flying dark its breath of dew
till the unliving come to life in you.
Be over the blind rock a skin of sense,
under the barren height a slender dance...
I woke and saw the dark small trees that burn
suddenly into flowers more lovely that the white moon.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Sus Imposter 19 August 2021

Amogus

1 1 Reply
KI KI K 12 June 2019

Ok these are both valid suggestions. This will help my work. Thank you Missy and Lauren! ! !

3 0 Reply
Missy 11 May 2019

Judith Wright encourages the land to fight back for itself " clench down your strength..." she expresses a deep and personal connection with the land here, but she is also separated from it. This is because of the window of the train between her and the land, this is shown through para-rhyme of couplets.

3 0 Reply
Lauren 12 June 2019

I believe that the train train is representing the social barrier between the white an aboriginal people.

0 0
READ THIS POEM IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Judith Wright

Judith Wright

New South Wales / Australia
Close
Error Success