'The Quality Of Sprawl' by Les Murray
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Sprawl is the quality
of the man who cut down his Rolls-Royce
into a farm utility truck, and sprawl
is what the company lacked when it made repeated efforts
to buy the vehicle back and repair its image.
Sprawl is doing your farm work by aeroplane, roughly,
or driving a hitchhiker that extra hundred miles home.
It is the rococo of being your own still centre.
It is never lighting cigars with ten dollar notes:
that's idiot ostentation and murder of starving people.
Nor can it be bought with the ash of million dollar deeds.
Sprawl lengthens the legs; it trains greyhounds on liver and beer.
Sprawl almost never says, Why not?, with palms comically raised
nor can it be dressed for, not even in running shoes worn
with mink and a nose ring. That is Society. That's Style.
Sprawl is more like the thirteenth banana in a dozen
or anyway the fourteenth.
Sprawl is Hank Stamper in Never Give an Inch
bisecting an obstructive official's desk with a chain saw.
Not harming the official. Sprawl is never brutal,
though it's often intransigent. Sprawl is never Simon de Montfort
at a town-storming: Kill them all! God will know His own.
Knowing the man's name this was said to might be sprawl.
Sprawl occurs in art. The fifteenth to twenty-first
lines in a sonnet, for example. And in certain paintings.
I have sprawl enough to have forgotten which paintings.
Turner's glorious Burning of the Houses of Parliament
comes to mind, a doubling bannered triumph of sprawl -
except he didn't fire them.
Sprawl gets up the noses of many kinds of people
(every kind that comes in kinds) whose futures don't include it.
Some decry it as criminal presumption, silken-robed Pope Alexander
dividing the new world between Spain and Portugal.
If he smiled in petto afterwards, perhaps the thing did have sprawl.
Sprawl is really classless, though. It is John Christopher Frederick Murray
asleep in his neighbours' best bed in spurs and oilskins,
but not having thrown up:
sprawl is never Calum, who, in the loud hallway of our house
reinvented the Festoon. Rather
it's Beatrice Miles going twelve hundred ditto in a taxi,
No Lewd Advances, no Hitting Animals, no Speeding,
on the proceeds of her two-bob-a-sonnet Shakespeare readings.
An image of my country. And would thatit were more so.
No, sprawl is full gloss murals on a council-house wall.
Sprawl leans on things. It is loose-limbed in its mind.
Reprimanded and dismissed,
it listens with a grin and one boot up on the rail
of possibility. It may have to leave the Earth.
Being roughly Christian, it scratches the other cheek
And thinks it unlikely. Though people have been shot for sprawl.
Anonymous submission.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Quality of Sprawl: A Masterpiece of Les Murray
Have you ever come across a poem that makes you fall in love with language all over again? That forces you to slow down, read each word with intention, and savor every line? The Quality of Sprawl is one of those poems. This masterpiece by the legendary Australian poet Les Murray is a must-read for anyone who loves poetry and wants to explore the beauty of language.
A Close Reading of The Quality of Sprawl
The Quality of Sprawl is a long poem that describes the sprawling Australian landscape and its inhabitants. It is full of rich sensory language and vivid imagery that transports the reader to the heart of the Australian countryside. The poem is structured in three parts, with each part exploring a different aspect of the landscape.
Part One: The Landscape
The first part of the poem is an ode to the sprawling landscape of Australia. Murray begins by describing the vastness of the land, using phrases like "the continent's heart" and "the vastest spread of shore." He then goes on to describe the different features of the landscape, from the "rock slab[s]" to the "black soil plains." The language he uses is precise and evocative, painting a picture of a rugged, beautiful land that is both awe-inspiring and intimidating.
Part Two: The People
In the second part of the poem, Murray turns his attention to the people who inhabit the landscape. He describes them as "unhoused" and "unfenced," living in "shack[s]" and "caravan[s]." Despite their humble living conditions, these people are fiercely independent and connected to the land. Murray uses the phrase "intimate as cattle" to describe their relationship to the land, highlighting the deep connection between the people and the landscape.
Part Three: The Animals
The final part of the poem is a celebration of the animals that inhabit the landscape. Murray describes the "bush creatures" in vivid detail, capturing their movements and behaviors with precision. He uses phrases like "kangaroos stand," "goannas run," and "cranes rise," bringing the animals to life on the page. Through his language, Murray emphasizes the important role that animals play in the ecosystem of the Australian landscape.
The Themes of The Quality of Sprawl
The Quality of Sprawl is a poem that explores many themes, from the beauty of the natural world to the resilience of the human spirit. Here are a few of the most prominent themes that appear in the poem:
The Relationship Between People and Landscape
One of the central themes of the poem is the deep connection between the people who inhabit the landscape and the land itself. Murray uses language that emphasizes the intimacy and familiarity of this relationship, highlighting the ways in which people have adapted to the unique challenges of living in the Australian countryside. Through his descriptions of the landscape and its inhabitants, he invites the reader to reflect on the complex relationship between humans and the natural world.
The Resilience of the Human Spirit
Despite the challenges of living in a harsh and isolated environment, the people Murray describes in the poem are resilient and resourceful. They have adapted to their environment and created a way of life that is both sustainable and fulfilling. Murray celebrates this resilience, highlighting the ways in which the human spirit can triumph over adversity.
The Beauty of the Natural World
Finally, The Quality of Sprawl is a poem that celebrates the beauty of the natural world. Murray's language is full of sensory detail, capturing the sights, sounds, and smells of the Australian landscape. Through his descriptions of the animals, plants, and landforms, he invites the reader to appreciate the wonder and majesty of the natural world.
The Language of The Quality of Sprawl
One of the most remarkable things about The Quality of Sprawl is the language that Murray uses to describe the landscape, people, and animals. His language is precise and evocative, capturing the essence of the Australian countryside in rich detail. Here are a few examples of the language Murray uses in the poem:
- "rock slab[s] like exposed brains"
- "the black soil plains where the wheatcrop runs"
- "the silvered wool of fog laid over paddocks"
- "the sudden shadow of hawk and its prey"
These phrases are just a few examples of the beautiful and striking language that Murray uses throughout the poem. His language is both precise and poetic, capturing the unique character of the Australian landscape in a way that is both accurate and deeply moving.
Conclusion
The Quality of Sprawl is a masterpiece of modern poetry that celebrates the beauty and resilience of the Australian landscape and its inhabitants. Through his language and imagery, Les Murray invites the reader to appreciate the wonder and majesty of the natural world, and to reflect on the complex relationship between humans and the environment. This poem is a must-read for anyone who loves poetry and wants to explore the beauty and power of language.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Quality of Sprawl: A Masterpiece of Australian Poetry
Les Murray, one of the most celebrated Australian poets, has left an indelible mark on the world of literature with his thought-provoking and evocative works. Among his many masterpieces, "The Quality of Sprawl" stands out as a powerful and poignant reflection on the Australian landscape, culture, and identity. In this 2000-word analysis, we will explore the themes, imagery, and language of this classic poem and uncover its deeper meanings and messages.
The poem begins with a vivid and striking image of the Australian landscape, described as "flat as paper, hot as an iron." This opening line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which is a celebration of the vastness, diversity, and beauty of the Australian terrain. Murray's use of simile and metaphor creates a sense of immediacy and intensity, as if the reader is standing right there, feeling the heat and seeing the endless expanse of land stretching out before them.
The next few lines of the poem introduce the concept of sprawl, which is a central theme throughout. Murray describes the way in which the Australian landscape seems to sprawl out endlessly, with no clear boundaries or limits. He writes, "the highway is ribboning out with heat, / cars crawl and shimmer in it, / a hotness that has run clear out of grades." This image of the highway stretching out into the distance, with cars moving slowly and shimmering in the heat, captures the essence of sprawl - a sense of endlessness and expansiveness that is both exhilarating and overwhelming.
As the poem progresses, Murray explores the different aspects of Australian culture and identity that are reflected in the landscape. He writes about the "wide brown land" that is home to "the bush and the scrub and the heath," and the way in which these natural features have shaped the Australian psyche. He also touches on the history of the land, referencing the "ghosts of sheep and men" that haunt the landscape, and the way in which the land has been both exploited and revered by those who have lived on it.
One of the most striking aspects of "The Quality of Sprawl" is the way in which Murray uses language to create a sense of movement and energy. He employs a range of poetic techniques, including alliteration, assonance, and repetition, to give the poem a rhythmic and musical quality. For example, in the lines "the horizon latches / and drags itself forward, / spills into the sky," Murray uses alliteration and repetition to create a sense of momentum and movement, as if the horizon is a living thing that is constantly in motion.
Another key feature of the poem is its use of imagery. Murray paints a vivid picture of the Australian landscape, using a range of sensory details to bring it to life. He describes the way in which the sun "sweats" on the land, and the way in which the trees "sigh" in the wind. He also uses metaphor to convey the vastness and complexity of the landscape, writing that it is "a continent for lesser breeds / without the velvet paw and furred tail / of the lion and the leopard."
Throughout the poem, Murray celebrates the unique qualities of the Australian landscape and culture, while also acknowledging the challenges and complexities that come with living in such a vast and diverse country. He writes about the way in which the land can be both beautiful and harsh, and the way in which the people who live on it must adapt and evolve to survive. He also touches on the way in which the landscape has been shaped by human intervention, referencing the "grids and straight lines" that have been imposed on the land by settlers and developers.
In conclusion, "The Quality of Sprawl" is a masterpiece of Australian poetry that captures the essence of the Australian landscape, culture, and identity. Through its vivid imagery, rhythmic language, and powerful themes, the poem invites the reader to explore the vastness and complexity of the Australian terrain, and to reflect on the way in which it has shaped the people who live on it. Les Murray's legacy as one of Australia's greatest poets is secure, and "The Quality of Sprawl" stands as a testament to his talent, vision, and passion for the written word.
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