The sign of a truly great poet is one who is remembered even in death and.
one who can write a poem that retains its relevance throughout the years.
Judith Wright (1915 - 2000) fills both criteria and some. She is considered.
by many to be the greatest female poet in Australia's history. Nearly all of.
Wright's poems are typically Australian, she deals with Australian issues.
and uses rich powerful Australian imagery. Her love of Australia, her.
ancestry and the environment make her much loved by the Australian.
community and this is why she is a great poet.
Wright's best known and most loved poems deal with Australian themes.
and issues, in particular those of conservation, heritage, ancestry,.
environment. As well as these base issues she also deals with life issues.
which affect all people such as love, death, life, birth. This coupled with.
her use of different poetic devices and different styles of poem make.
Wright a poet who appeals to people from all walks of life and all age.
groups. One of Wright's most attractive features is her ability to create an.
atmosphere which brings the poem to life as in "The Graves at Mill Point".
which will be discussed further in relation to heritage and ancestry.
"The Graves at Mill Point" is a poem about the history of Australia, the.
death of small towns. This is a common issue in Australia's history and an.
issue that Wright feels strongly about. This poem is similar to "Old.
Prison" also about a relic forgotten by Australia and its people, "time has.
washed the words away". Wright's poetry is sometimes confrontational.
but in an acceptable way because she is writing about issues which need.
to be discussed, about stories that need to be told. Wright feels strongly.
about her ancestry as an Australian and she expresses this through her.
poetry by telling the stories of Australia, it's land and it's people.
"The Graves at Mill Point" deals with the historical issue of heritage and is.
a tribute to the lives lost during a fire at a water-mill.
