This poem, titled "My Country," that is famously remembered as "I Love a Sunburnt Country" is a patriotic ode to the author's love for her homeland, Australia. The speaker begins by acknowledging the beauty of other landscapes, such as the English countryside, but admits that her love is for the sunburnt plains and rugged terrain of her own country. She describes the various natural features of Australia, from its sweeping plains and mountain ranges to its tangle of brush and orchids that adorn the trees. The speaker expresses her devotion to her country despite its harsh climate, including droughts and flooding rains that bring both beauty and tragedy. She emphasizes the resilience of the land, which rewards its inhabitants with lush greenery after periods of dryness. The poem ends with a declaration of the author's deep connection to her country, a place that she considers to be her true home.
My Country Poem
The love of field and coppice,Of green and shaded Lanes,
Of ordered woods and gardens,
Is running in your veins;
Strong love of grey-blue distance,
Brown streams and soft, dim skies -
I know but cannot share it,
My love is otherwise.
I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of drought and flooding rains,
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel sea,
Her beauty and her terror -
The wide brown land for me.
The tragic ring-barked forests
Stark white beneath the moon,
The sapphire-misted mountains,
The hot gold hush of noon.
Green tangle of the brushes
Where lithe lianas coil,
An orchids deck the tree-tops
And ferns the crimson soil.
Core of my heart, my country!
Her pitiless blue sky,
When sick at heart around us
We see the cattle die -
But then the grey clouds gather
And we can bless again
The drumming of an army,
The steady, soaking rain.
Core of my heart, my country!
Land of the Rainbow Gold,
For flood and fire and famine,
She pays us back threefold;
Over the thirsty paddocks,
Watch, after many days,
The filmy veil of greenness
That thickens as we gaze.
An opal-hearted country,
A wilful, lavish land -
All you who have not loved her,
You will not understand -
Though Earth holds many splendours,
Wherever I may die,
I know to what brown Country
My homing thoughts will fly.
Critical Analysis
Dorothea Mackellar's poem "My Country" is a powerful tribute to the Australian landscape, reflecting the author's deep love for the country. The poem is written in a simple and direct style, which reflects the straightforward and unpretentious character of the Australian people.The poem's central theme is the author's deep love for Australia and the Australian landscape. This love is expressed through a series of vivid images and sensory descriptions of the natural world. For example, the poem describes the "sweeping plains" and "ragged mountain ranges," the "hot gold hush of noon," and the "green tangle of the brushes."
The poem also explores the theme of the harshness of the Australian landscape, with its "drought and flooding rains" and "pitiless blue sky." The author acknowledges the difficulties of life in Australia, including the impact of droughts on agriculture and the suffering of livestock. However, she also celebrates the resilience of the Australian people in the face of adversity, as represented by the "drumming of an army" during a rainstorm.
The poem also touches on the theme of national identity and pride, with the author describing Australia as the "wide brown land for me" and "land of the Rainbow Gold." The poem suggests that the Australian landscape is an essential part of the country's national identity, and that the country's people are fiercely proud of their land.
The poem's language is simple and direct, with the author using a straightforward, conversational style to convey her love for Australia. The poem is rich in sensory descriptions, with the author using vivid imagery to create a sense of the Australian landscape's beauty and power. The poem's structure is also relatively straightforward, with each stanza exploring a different aspect of the Australian landscape.
Overall, "My Country" is a powerful and evocative tribute to Australia and the Australian landscape. The poem's simple language and direct style make it accessible to a broad audience, while its vivid imagery and emotional depth make it a moving and memorable piece of writing.
Stanza-wise Summary of My Country
Major Themes in My Country
The major themes in the poem "My Country" by Dorothea Mackellar are:Style of the Poem
The style of the poem "My Country" by Dorothea MacKellar is lyrical and descriptive. The poem is written in free verse, which allows the poet to vary the length and structure of the lines to create a natural rhythm. The language used in the poem is evocative and vivid, appealing to the senses and creating vivid images of the Australian landscape. The use of repetition, particularly the refrain "Core of my heart, my country," emphasizes the poet's deep emotional attachment to her homeland. Overall, the style of the poem captures the beauty, power, and uniqueness of the Australian landscape while expressing the poet's intense emotional connection to it.Literary Devices
Here are some of the literary devices used in the poem "My Country" by Dorothea Mackellar:Related Posts
