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Gwen Harwood’s poetry is challenging, original, containing depth and breadth of thought, and penetrating wit. ...
A dominant theme in the poetry of Gwen Harwood is that of the loss of time, innocence, self-confidence, and life, which all come from the progression of time. ... Specifically, Harwood references the loss of innocence when a child’s naivety has been lost, and the loss of faith, which accompanies. ... Harwood cleverly juxtaposes a word-play between “monsters”, and “monstrance”, furthering the religious imagery. ... Harwood then uses a musical motif to portray the jealous child’s impression, “his father held/fiddle and bow.” Harwood also does this, inserting notes as a narrator, “love’s proud executants played from a score/no child could read or realise”, the beginning of the child’s loss of innocence.
Each one has to lose his innocence at some point, it’s a natural part of our existence, but Harwood has chosen to depict a scenario where the loss comes abruptly, and perhaps to soon.
In fact, the nature of existence is of particular concern in Harwood’s poetry. ... Music and dreams are two main methods Harwood uses to communicate her meaning of the inner self. ...
The rhyme scheme of the poem adds emphasis, slowing the pace of the poem, allowing the responder to take more time to ponder over the nature of life that Harwood is presenting.
Approximate Word count = 1112
Approximate Pages = 4.4
(250 words per page double spaced)
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