'The Sleepout' by Les Murray
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Childhood sleeps in a verandah room
in an iron bed close to the wall
where the winter over the railing
swelled the blind on its timber boom
and splinters picked lint off warm linen
and the stars were out over the hill;
then one wall of the room was forest
and all things in there were to come.
Breathings climbed up on the verandah
when dark cattle rubbed at the corner
and sometimes dim towering rain stood
for forest, and the dry cave hunched woollen.
Inside the forest was lamplit
along tracks to a starry creek bed
and beyond lay the never-fenced country,
its full billabongs all surrounded
by animals and birds, in loud crustings,
and sometimes kept leaping up amongst them.
And out there, to kindle whenever
dark found it, hung the daylight moon.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Sleepout by Les Murray: A Masterpiece of Australian Poetry
When it comes to poetry, Les Murray is a name that commands respect and admiration among critics and readers alike. His contributions to Australian literature are countless, and his ability to capture the essence of life in rural Australia is unparalleled. In this literary criticism and interpretation, I will delve into one of his most famous poems, "The Sleepout," and explore the themes, language, and imagery that make it a masterpiece.
The Poem
Before we dive into the analysis, let's first take a look at the poem itself:
The night is only a sort of carbon paper, Blueblack, with the much-poked periods of stars Letting in the light, peephole after peephole — A bonewhite light, like death, behind all things.
Under the eyes of the stars and the moon's rictus He suffers his desert pillow, sleeplessness Stretching its fine, irritating sand in all directions.
Over and over the old, granular movie Exposes embarrassments—the mizzling days Of childhood and adolescence, sticky with dreams, Parental faces on tall stalks, alternately stern and tearful, A garden of buggy rose that made him cry.
His forehead is bumpy as a sack of rocks. Memories jostle each other for face-room like obsolete film stars. He is immune to pills: red, purple, blue — How they lit the tedium of the protracted evening!
Those sugary planets whose influence won for him A life baptized in no-life for a while, And the sweet, drugged waking of a forgetful baby.
Now the pills are worn-out and silly, like classical gods. Their poppy-sleepy colors do him no good.
His head is a little interior of grey mirrors. Each gesture flees immediately down an alley Of diminishing perspectives, and its significance Drains like water out the hole at the far end.
He lives without privacy in a lidless room, The bald slots of his eyes stiffened wide-open On the incessant heat-lightning flicker of situations.
Nightlong, in the granite yard, invisible cats Have been howling like women, or damaged instruments. Already he can feel daylight, his white disease, Creeping up with her hatful of trivial repetitions. The city is a map of cheerful twitters now, And everywhere people, eyes mica-silver and blank, Are riding to work in rows, as if recently brainwashed.
The Themes
One of the most prominent themes in "The Sleepout" is the sense of isolation and loneliness that the speaker feels. He is unable to sleep and is left alone with his thoughts and memories. The language used throughout the poem reinforces this feeling of loneliness, with phrases such as "lidless room," "bald slots of his eyes," and "stiffened wide-open." The speaker is also unable to find solace in medication, adding to his feeling of helplessness.
Another key theme in the poem is the passage of time and the inevitability of aging. The speaker's memories of childhood and adolescence are described as "obsolete film stars," and he describes his head as "a little interior of grey mirrors." These descriptions suggest that the speaker is aware of the fleeting nature of time and is struggling to come to terms with his own mortality.
The poem also touches on the theme of the natural world and its indifference to human suffering. The stars and moon are described as peepholes that let in a "bonewhite light, like death." This description suggests that the natural world is indifferent to human suffering and that the speaker is left to suffer alone under its watchful gaze.
The Language and Imagery
One of the most striking aspects of "The Sleepout" is its use of language and imagery. Murray's use of metaphor and simile is particularly effective in conveying the speaker's sense of isolation and loneliness. For example, the night is described as "only a sort of carbon paper" and the light is described as "a bonewhite light, like death." These descriptions create a sense of foreboding and highlight the speaker's sense of helplessness.
Murray's use of imagery is also particularly effective. The image of "invisible cats" howling in the granite yard creates a sense of unease and adds to the feeling of isolation that the speaker experiences. The image of the "mizzling days" of childhood and adolescence is also particularly powerful, as it suggests that the speaker is haunted by memories of a time when life was simpler and less complicated.
The Interpretation
So what does "The Sleepout" mean? At its core, the poem is an exploration of the human experience and our struggle to come to terms with our own mortality. The speaker is unable to escape his own thoughts and memories, and is left to suffer alone under the watchful gaze of the natural world. Murray's use of language and imagery creates a sense of unease and highlights the speaker's sense of isolation and helplessness.
The poem can also be interpreted as a commentary on modern society and our reliance on medication to escape our problems. The speaker is unable to find solace in pills, suggesting that medication is not always the answer to our problems. The final lines of the poem, which describe people riding to work "as if recently brainwashed," suggest that modern society can be a soulless and dehumanizing place.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "The Sleepout" is a masterpiece of Australian poetry that explores the human experience and our struggle to come to terms with our own mortality. Murray's use of language and imagery creates a sense of unease and highlights the speaker's sense of isolation and helplessness. The poem can be interpreted in a number of ways, but at its core, it is a powerful meditation on the human condition.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Sleepout: A Poem of Nostalgia and Simplicity
Les Murray's "The Sleepout" is a poem that captures the essence of Australian rural life in the mid-twentieth century. It is a nostalgic and evocative piece that takes the reader on a journey through the memories of a young boy who spent his summer nights sleeping outside in a makeshift shelter. The poem is a celebration of simplicity, of the joys of childhood, and of the beauty of the natural world.
The poem begins with a vivid description of the sleepout, a simple structure made of "saplings and corrugated iron." The boy who sleeps there is surrounded by the sounds of the bush, the "crickets and cicadas" that sing him to sleep. Murray's use of sensory language is masterful, as he paints a picture of the sights, sounds, and smells of the Australian bush. The reader can almost feel the warmth of the summer night and smell the eucalyptus trees that surround the sleepout.
As the poem progresses, the boy's memories of the sleepout become more detailed. He remembers the "old kerosene lamp" that lit up the space, casting a warm glow over his makeshift bed. He remembers the "rustle of possums" in the trees above him, and the "scent of woodsmoke" that drifted in from the nearby campfire. These memories are not just of the physical sensations of the sleepout, but also of the emotions that it evoked. The sleepout was a place of safety and comfort, where the boy could escape from the stresses of the world and be at peace with himself.
Murray's use of language in "The Sleepout" is simple and direct, yet it is also rich with meaning. He uses words like "saplings" and "corrugated iron" to evoke a sense of the rustic simplicity of rural life. He uses phrases like "crickets and cicadas" and "rustle of possums" to create a sense of the natural world that surrounds the sleepout. And he uses words like "scent" and "glow" to create a sense of the sensory experiences that the boy had while sleeping outside.
One of the most powerful aspects of "The Sleepout" is the way that it captures the innocence and wonder of childhood. The boy in the poem is not burdened by the worries and responsibilities of adulthood. He is free to explore the world around him, to marvel at the beauty of nature, and to dream of the future. Murray's poem reminds us of the importance of holding onto that sense of wonder, even as we grow older and face the challenges of life.
At the same time, "The Sleepout" is also a poem about the passing of time and the inevitability of change. The sleepout that the boy remembers so fondly is no longer there, replaced by a "modern house" that is "air-conditioned and sealed." The natural world that surrounded the sleepout has also changed, as the "cicadas and crickets" have been replaced by the sounds of traffic and industry. Murray's poem is a reminder that nothing stays the same forever, and that we must cherish the moments of beauty and simplicity that we are given.
In conclusion, Les Murray's "The Sleepout" is a beautiful and evocative poem that captures the essence of Australian rural life in the mid-twentieth century. It is a celebration of simplicity, of the joys of childhood, and of the beauty of the natural world. Murray's use of language is simple yet powerful, and his imagery is rich with meaning. The poem is a reminder of the importance of holding onto our sense of wonder and of cherishing the moments of beauty and simplicity that we are given.
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