Does anyone know about poems based on the idea of morality or the individual vs. society? I need to talk about one for English class. Please help!

what about some feminist poetry or war poetry?

Wilfred Owen maybe (dulce et decorum est, for example)? In that case, this link may help you: <[www.emule.com]>

Rudyard Kipling's famous poem 'If' promotes moral approaches to various aspects of life, and the first stanza particularly refers to the situation of one who is prepared to stand for what he believes in against the clamour of the crowd or society.

[www.cs.rice.edu]

I say 'he' because 'If' is expressly addressed to a young man, but the advice given could apply to anyone.

The topic of the individual vs society could apply to outlaws, or, as they were called in 19th century Australia, 'bushrangers'.

Many of the bushrangers were just highway robbers with a propensity to violence, but they liked to portray themselves as champions of the downtrodden poor against an establishment consisting of rich landowners, insensitive officials and bullying police. Consequently in the rural areas they were often helped by sympathetic locals, and their exploits were romanticised in folklore.

Some information about one of them, John Gilbert, here:

[tinyurl.com]

This 20th Century poem tells an anecdote about him. Whether true or fictional, I don't know; but the voice in the poem clearly regards Gilbert as a man of honour and sympathizes with him.

What Bill Lewis Told His Grandson
by John Manifold

With a price on his head of a thousand pound
Gilbert cantered the country round,
And Sir Frederick Pottinger, biting his nails,
Damned the intestines of New South Wales.

Gilbert, regardless, rode alone;
His friends were many, his name was known;
A welcome guest at the traveller’s fire
He could yarn and drink to his own desire.

It happened one day that Gilbert met
A stranger cove with a wagonette,
And it happened the stranger made so free
As to ask him down for a drink of tea.

The roads were dusty, the sun was hot,
And Gilbert sweaty as like as not,
Yet he said “Fair’s fair; I’ve a swagman’s thirst,
But so has your dog. Let the dog drink first.”

He bent to the billy and poured unbid
A mouthful of tea in the upturned lid,
And the dusty slut at the stranger’s side
Lapped it, shuddered, gave tongue, and died.

Gilbert stood like a man of rock,
Reached his hand to the carbine-stock,
Stared, till the poisoner’s face went grey,
Then laughed, and mounted and rode away.

Good luck go with him is what I say!






Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/23/2005 08:59PM by IanB.