Grammar Gazette-Issue 1, 2020

FROM THE CLASSROOM ENGLISH

FROM THE CLASSROOM ENGLISH

I studied the poem 'Scots of The Riverina' by Henry Lawson. My poem, 'Mother', focuses on the war aspect of the poem and is written in the style of letters to a mum whose son is at war. —Caitlin Huf (9B)

Dear Mother Caitlin Huf (9B)

Every year, each Year 8 English class holds a poetry slam competition. Students create and perform their own works, responding to poems studied in class. Here are some winning student works from 2019.

Bright eyed and brave a boy sits hunched on a busy train Dear Mother, I know it’s hard to say But for a while I will be gone away

Dear Mother, Tomorrow I am to be sent to ‘no man’s land’ To venture into the madness, take one final stand Then I will be going to Egypt they say Where the conditions are better and hopefully the pay Every morning we are awake long before the sun peeks over the shattered hill But only some of us rise, others remain forever still Tired and uninspired the captain sits hunched in his stately office. Dear Madam, It is my painful duty to notify the death of Sergeant Carl Machen The report is to the effect that he was killed in action My sincere regards Silent and stills the boy cries his mother’s name but his voice is never to be heard again

When will I be home? Well I’ll see you one day But the reason I signed up for what I am going to do Is to make father proud, make my promise true Under the black and white of a starry night the boy sits hunched in a crowded cabin Dear Mother, Being on a boat is like a sleepless night We toss and turn forever but the captain says Gallipoli is in sight As the sun glistens golden and day retires to night I think of you and hope you are doing alright Afraid and alone the boy sits hunched in the chaos Dear Mother, As I write my boots sink deeper into the mud For there is no escape from the screaming and blood Gunshot rattles, booms in my ears For what we see here are darker than the deepest of fears Times are desperate mother, more desperate than they have ever been For shivering in the filth beside me is a boy of just fifteen I am afraid mother, he isn’t doing well I am afraid this poor boy will fade in this living hell Full of fire the boy sits hunched on the trench walls.

Glory Claire Ellem (9B)

New South Wales That’s what it was named. The title they gave the country that was claimed James Cook We all know the name The Captain who found this new land to tame The First Fleet The convicts who came Some of you still bear their surnames All those people, Those elected, those sent, Came together in order to present: Australia In all its glory Who would look beneath To see the whole story? Maybe all these things seem like victory, But look closer and you’ll see everyone’s history. When the true owners of the land were free And the Europeans had not yet crossed the sea Peace Can’t you see it, feel it? The land still thrived, because they were there to heal it To use and nurture it, to make their own choices When the Aboriginal people Still had their voices Before Let’s go back To before the settlers came to attack

Respect That’s what should have been shown. When the invaders sought out their home But no No respect was visible, To the settlers, Aboriginals were as good as animals Horror That’s what comes to mind When someone mentions those despicable times Disgust At the disrespect Of taking the land without consent Anger At the settlers reaction When the Aborigines tried to take action How many lives were lost, when they did not need to be? How did our ancestors not even see The despair that they cast upon these humans? All that they knew Left in ruins

Reverse Poem Kiara Chang (9B)

We cannot accept them So don’t tell me that

They should be included in political fights We should give them freedoms and rights At the end of the day, Their identity is lost in every way, Nothing you say will make me believe

So I ask you to, the next time you hear Of the settlers and the pioneers, To look deeper and listen to the entire story Because in the end, not everyone emerged in glory

We can still save their culture and give them exemption and We can still stop discrimination and provoke consideration But no matter what They will never have adequation I think, Do they really have no hope?

—Now read in reverse from the bottom line to the top—

My English class focused on Aboriginal experience in Australian poetry. We studied 'We Are Going' by Oodgeroo Noonuccal, which talks about when the Europeans settled in Australia. When I wrote my poem, I really wanted to do justice to such an important part of Australian history. —Claire Ellem (9B)

My poem focuses on how the Australian identity is represented through the Indigenous people. This poem responds to another poem, 'Municipal Gum', written by Oodgeroo Noonuccal and outlines the inequality faced by Indigenous people. —Kiara Chang (9B)

Gazette

Gazette

Brisbane Girls Grammar School

Brisbane Girls Grammar School

04

Issue 1, 2020

05

Issue 1, 2020