In The Park
She sits in the park. Her clothes are out of date.
Two children whine and bicker, tug her skirt.
A third draws aimless patterns in the dirt
Someone she loved once passed by – too late
to feign indifference to that casual nod.
“How nice” et cetera. “Time holds great surprises.”
From his neat head unquestionably rises
a small balloon…”but for the grace of God…”
They stand a while in flickering light, rehearsing
the children’s names and birthdays. “It’s so sweet
to hear their chatter, watch them grow and thrive,”
she says to his departing smile. Then, nursing
the youngest child, sits staring at her feet.
To the wind she says, “They have eaten me alive.”
Gwen Harwood
I first studied this poem when I was sixteen years old as part of the poetry component of my HSC Curriculum. I first studied this poem at an age when I had no business, I think, to be studying it at all.
At the time, I used all the perfunctory language I had been taught to use to earn extra ‘points’ in essays. I studied the technicalities; I had no appreciation for what the poem was actually saying.
Look at that magnificent run-on sentence between the first and second stanzas. Also at that pained embarrassment one may occasionally feel during an unwanted meeting; especially when the children are not behaving. Worse, it’s an ex-boyfriend, that ultimate indignity when one is feeling exposed and vulnerable. And the wonderful image of ‘thought-bubbles’ ; the cartoonish simplicity of people’s thoughts, when one is sure of how the cogs of another’s brain is ticking –not in their favour, either.
Mostly, I get it now, get it so completely that I read and re-read the line many times, “They have eaten me alive,” and have committed it to my memory to mutter it to myself at times of trial.
Gwen Harwood is one of Australia’s most beloved poets. I do not want you to think that all of her poems were of this depressive ilk; I just like this one because it is a meditative, realistic peek into the lives of women as mothers. This was first published in 1961, but it could’ve been written yesterday.
Check her out; for I am reading her now with 13 years extra wisdom, and I choke up with their truth. Well, her truth. And her truth is my truth, sometimes.
It may be the same case for you.
******
If you’re interested, go here to see the video of Peter Rose launching the Best Australian Poems 2007 anthology. I particularly liked this statement: “We need more individuality and chanciness in society, not less. We certainly don’t need any more quiet conformity in Australia.”
8:26 am
I remember this poem from Related English too and you’re right, it isn’t possible to really understand it until you’ve been a mother yourself and/or had someone you used to love that you dread running into wearing your daggy clothes (but they’re so comfortable!!!). I read it again not long ago when I was going through some of my old school stuff - it’s brilliant! Not that I thought that about it 12 years ago… I think we were taught to analyse poetry, not understand it. How can you understand something like that when you are only 17 and had a relatively sheltered life like we did?
11:15 am
Oh what a blast from the past. I studies Gwen Harwood in 1st year English Literature. I so didn’t get her poetry then.
If only we could pass on maturity to the young ones.
Happy New Year Misc Mum.
Don’t forget the Carnival of Australia. This one would be a goodie.
Megan over at Imaginif’s last blog post..Before and after end of / new year clean up fun
8:47 pm
M - you’re right, I think most poetry you grow into. I never was much of a fan, until recently, because they’re bit -sized I can read some and feel……I don’t know. Like I accomplished something, maybe!
THanks Megan - I took your advice
9:51 pm
Thank you for posting this. I was unfamiliar with the poem (not having grown up in Oz), but, yes, what a brilliant depiction of the exhaustive nature of motherhood.
I still frequently mutter pearls from Philip Larkin, who kept me child-free for years…
“They F*** you up, your Mum and Dad
They may not mean to, but they do
They take the misery they had
Then add some extra, just for you
Man hands on misery to man
It deepens like a coastal shelf
Get out as early as you can
And don’t have any kids yourself.”
This was on our A level syllabus and probably was more effective than any amount of other anti-teenage pregnancy measures :-)Wonderfully bleak, and sure to strike a chord with anyone who has complicated relationships with their own parents and is trying not to replicate them with their own darling offspring!
12:21 am
This is something new for me. Gwen Harwood has quite a talent, though I haven’t heard of her before. I’ll put this on my Quality Post & Stumbleupon.
Jean-Luc Picard’s last blog post..TWQ: New Year Resolution
12:35 am
wow - I thought you must have written it until I saw the byline.
I never studied her - although I do know what you mean about the applicability of studying things beyond your understanding at school level.
jeanie’s last blog post..‘Salina has a new love
7:19 am
Philippa - Wow - thats a good one!
JLP- thanks!
jeanie - you flatter me!
9:28 am
[…] Mum presents Appreciating Australian Poetry - Gwen Harwood posted at Miscellaneous Adventures of an Aussie Mum, saying, “An appreciation of a poem about […]
5:49 pm
I’m happy to present your post as part of the Happy New Year’s Carnival of Family Life which I am hosting tomorrow at Mixed Metaphor.net! Hope you’ll drop by the party and join in the festivities — we have many wonderful entries this week!
3:58 am
Beautiful. I’ve moved back into my hometown, and it’s a rare day that I don’t run into someone I knew “back when.” The sentiments of this poem can be so true.
Daisy’s last blog post..Starting the Blogging year with a Retrospective
9:15 am
[…] Mum presents Appreciating Australian Poetry - Gwen Harwood posted at Miscellaneous Adventures of an Aussie Mum, saying, “A apprecation of a poem about […]
10:39 pm
Excellent ! and the words ring so true no matter how much we love and adore our children. I never studied her during my HSC but she sounds very interesting.
Happy new year and I hope your 2008 is blessed , prosperous, and everything you want it to be!
Babyamore (Trish)’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday - How do you like your eggs ?
3:25 am
[…] Mum presents Appreciating Australian Poetry - Gwen Harwood posted at Miscellaneous Adventures of an Aussie Mum, saying, “A post about a beautiful […]
1:52 pm
[…] Miscellaneous Mum: Appreciating Australian Poetry - Gwen Harwood at Miscellaneous Adventures of an Aussie Mum. Sometimes time — and motherhood — can […]