Senior Poetry: Homecoming

'Bruce Dawe, born in 1930 in Geelong Victoria, is known as 'The Poet of Suburbia’. His ability to express the drama and beauty of everyday life has made his work readily accessible to the general public...'

'One of Australia’s most respected and influential poets is Donald Bruce Dawe. More commonly known as Bruce Dawe, he was born in the town of Fitzroy in Melbourne, Australia, in 1930...'

'The theme is the underlying message that the writer or artist wants to convey. Themes can feature in poetry, a short story, a novel, or even a work of art...'

'Vietnam War protests began among peace activists and leftist intellectuals on college campuses, but gained national prominence in 1965, after the United States began bombing North Vietnam in earnest. Antiwar marches and other protests, such as the ones organized by Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), attracted a widening base of support over the next several years, peaking in early 1968 after the successful Tet Offensive by North Vietnamese troops proved that war’s end was nowhere in sight...'

'Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War began in 1962 when 30 military advisers were deployed to support South Vietnamese forces. By 1965, it was apparent that the allied forces could not hold out and the United States increased its commitment. Australia responded to a South Vietnamese request by increasing its forces in May 1966. At the height of Australian involvement, there were 8500 Australian army personnel involved. Overall, 521 Australians were to die in the war. Around 3000 Australians were wounded...'

'The Vietnam moratorium protests, the first of which took place on 8 May 1970, were the largest public demonstrations in Australia’s history at the time.

They represented growing discontent within a portion of the Australian population to the government’s commitment to the Vietnam War in general and conscription in particular.

The protests took place during a period of great social change in Australia, when people from a range of backgrounds were prepared to defy authority...'

'This poster was issued by the 'Save Our Sons' group in response to the Vietnam War. Save Our Sons was a woman's organisation set up by Joyce Golgerth in Sydney in May 1965. Golgerth had started contacting women who had sons of conscription age as the National Service Act was being prepared in October 1964. The organisation was set up to oppose conscription for overseas service and more specifically the use of conscripts as part of Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War...'

'Most 20-year-old Australian men had to register for national service between 1965 and 1972. Servicemen conscripted under the scheme became known as 'Nashos'. Names of potential conscripts were selected by a birthday ballot, where numbered wooden marbles were drawn by lottery from a barrel. The numbers on the marbles matched a secretly maintained list of birthdays..'