Australian Poetic Analysis

A detailed Summary of Australian Poetic Analysis

Jennifer Rankin, a Sydney born Australian female poet, offers her readers an abstract insight into the world she enters as a writer in her poem "I Had A Room". As the title suggests, the poem achieves this through comparing what goes on in the personal sanctuary of her room to what goes on as time passes outside. As the poet finds herself encompassed by her work and her room, we are shown how through expressing herself, she is released from the prison of her mind. This suggests to the reader that only through writing is she inspired and free.

The first five lines of the poem are not in a single stanza, but separated into two two-lined groups and a single line alone. Line two sets the scene of the room, "pale and glowing amongst the tall grass." The personification of the house as a comforting, warming and welcoming light is seen as an invitation for the writer. Being surrounded by the tall grass gives the impression that the room has been undisturbed for a long time. Line 1 shows us that although she had left her room so long ago, Rankin is so familiar with her sanctuary that she is still definitely certain of it's location, even after having had such a long time pass.

The next two lines gives the reader an idea as

The second stanza uses imagery to produce for the reader a clear picture of her room by explaining very ordinary details and how such ordinary things have the power to encompass her. Her "green-topped desk" conveys the idea of nature, possibility and growth being ever-present within her sanctuary. The desk-top being "still cluttered with papers and books" in line 7 shows the element of timelessness within the room again, as even though such a long time has passed since she left, everything is still as she left it. This particular stanza emphasises her familiarity with objects from within the room such as the desk's "weak leg" jiggling or how her "shoe catches in that curl of worn carpet" in lines 8 and 10. Line 11, the last of the stanza, uses the personification of her chair as being "urgent". This is used in a way as to suggest the room being anxious for the writer to begin her writing.

The third stanza goes on to talk of "a gale and springtime" and "snow and bitter women" using the comparison of the seasons to symbolise the constant change in season and of ongoing time, never-ending. Her contemplation on "bitter women" in comparison to "a small girl in a dress with a sash" show how with time there are emotional harshness that women have to go through and endure as they themselves become bitter women and reminisce on when they were once small girls. This provokes sympathy for the women who may have lost their childhood.

The technique of splitting the five lines instead of writing them as one single stanza conveys

Some common words found in the essay are:
Rankin Sydney, William Wordsworth's, prison mind, sets scene, bitter women, theme poem, main theme poem, released prison mind, inspiration freedom, single stanza, outside world, five lines, released prison, main theme,

Approximate Word count = 1036
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English