Song_of_a_Battery_Hen”_by_Edwan_Brock_War_Without_End”_by_Brue_Dawe

I agree that poetry can illuminate important issues in our society. This is obvious in “War Without End” by Brue Dawe, which explores the issue of deaths in road accidents, “Song Of A Battery Hen” by Edwan Brock, which explores the issue of cruel treatment that battery hen have to endure an “Bran Nue Day” by Jimmy Chi and Mick Manolis which explores the issue of injustice and discrimination towards Australian Aborigines. “War Without End” uses an extended metaphor to dramatise the thousands of people who die out on the road. The poet compares the death on the road to a war in such lines: "This war was not like any other war.” This dramatises the importance of road deaths, as the number of deaths are higher than deaths at war. Another metaphor used by the poet is: “torn limbs and silent tongue” giving the reader an image about what the victim’s went through. The poets purpose for writing this poem is to make people aware of the horrific number of deaths. The poet is sending an important message to society, informing them about this common issue as it is an important problem that needs to be solved. Brue Dawe uses repetition to make the message strong. For example “this war is like no other war” is repeated in the first line in both stanza’s one and two, to convey the message to the reader. The feeling the poem arouses, is the seriousness of deaths out on the road. It makes the audience feel worried about who maybe the victim next. This is an important issue in our society, and it is demonstrated in the poem. The poet demonstrates the issue using emotive language to inform the reader his feelings and thoughts about the issue. We can see the emotive language being used, when the poet uses personification. For example “ the ambulances with their strident cries” is a personification used giving the ambulance a human characteristic, with “strident cries” being the loud sirens from the ambulances. The persona in “Song Of A Battery Hen” is a battery hen to show us the cruel treatment that battery hen have to endure. The poet illuminates this important issue, informing the reader about the artificial environment that hens live in. The poet adapts the persona using first person:”I am the one who sounds the loudest in my head” with the battery hen being the voice. This technique allows the reader to understand the issue as we read it from the hens point of view, giving the reader a clearer image. Colloquial language is also used in the hens voices throughout the poem. Through the persona irony shows us that the hens don’t like the crowded conditions and lack of freedom and that society is not putting a stop to it. “I am in the twelve pen on the left hand side on the third row from the floor” which is a example of irony that is constantly used in the poem. The is also irony in the title, because “Song” suggests something joyful whilst the hens “wail” in agony. Alliteration is used in “Word Wail” to convey the agony and pain of the hens. It is designed as emotive language to gain empathy from the reader. This will show the reader the poets feelings and point of view about the issue “Bran Nue Day” is a metaphor for the new era of justice and equity for aboriginal people. The poet illuminates the discrimination against the aboriginal people. The metaphor is a positive image, an optimistic image. On the other hand, there is a tone of hopelessness, in violence, drunkenness and poor accommodations, seen in such lines as:”To drunken fights and awful sights.” The title “Bran Nue Day” is an Aboriginal Colloquial language which in English it is spelt Brand New Day. The poet uses this language to communicate with other Aborigine’s to create authenticity in the aboriginals voice, In the poem, dialogue is used in stanza six: “hey what’s your work experience'” to create a sense of immediacy to make it as if we are there. Aboriginals are discriminated against so they find it hard to get job. So that’s why I agree that poetry can illuminate important issues in our society, as these poems have an impact in all our life’s and will help us understand these issues in our society.