About the Poet
A. D. Hope was a prominent Australian poet, essayist, and academic known for his sharp wit, mastery of traditional poetic forms, and exploration of themes like love, death, mythology, and human nature. A.D. Hope questions whether Australia can truly be considered a civilized society. Recognized as one of the most significant and celebrated Australian poets of the 20th century, Hope’s work stands out for its rejection of modernist and postmodernist poetic styles, particularly free verse. Instead, he adheres to traditional poetic structures, such as the iambic quatrain.
Line by line analysis
A Nation of trees, drab green and desolate grey In the field uniform of modern wars, Darkens her hills, those endless, outstretched paws Of Sphinx demolished or stone lion worn away. They call her a young country, but they lie: She is the last of lands, the emptiest, A woman beyond her change of life, a breast Still tender but within the womb is dry.
The poem follows an ABBA rhyme scheme, giving it a smooth and steady rhythm. It portrays Australia as a bleak, almost colorless nation, where everything appears dull and repetitive. The country seems to blend into the background, lacking vibrancy. The hills are described as giant, outstretched paws, creating a sense of quiet wildness and an eerie atmosphere. The poet compares Australia to a “sphinx,” a symbol of wisdom and power that has been worn down over time. Nature dominates the nation, particularly the trees, but instead of being lush and lively, they are described as dull and barren. The trees are likened to soldiers in uniform, emphasizing monotony and uniformity. The hills are compared to the paws of an ancient statue, such as a sphinx or lion, that has deteriorated over the years. This comparison suggests that Australia’s landscape, like these ancient symbols of strength, has been eroded and diminished over time.
The next stanza continues with negative imagery. Many describe Australia as a “young country,” but Hope disagrees, stating that this is untrue. He portrays the country as “the last of the lands” and “the emptiest,” possibly referencing its geographical isolation from the rest of the world. Hope compares Australia to a woman who has reached menopause, a stage where she can no longer have children. This suggests that, while the country might appear soft and tender on the outside—like the image of a woman with “tender breasts”—internally, it is barren and lifeless, symbolized by a “dry womb.”
Without songs, architecture, history: The emotions and superstitions of younger lands, Her rivers of water drown among inland sands, The river of her immense stupidity Floods her monotonous tribes from Cairns to Perth. In them at last the ultimate men arrive Whose boast is not: "we live" but "we survive", A type who will inhabit the dying earth.
A.D. Hope criticizes Australian culture, describing it as lacking music, architecture, and historical depth. He mentions rivers that are lost among “inland sands,” symbolizing wasted potential. These rivers, which should bring life and growth, instead represent stagnation and erosion.
When Hope speaks of the “river of her immense stupidity,” he suggests that Australia is also intellectually underdeveloped. He describes the people as “monotonous tribes” spread across the country, from Cairns to Perth, highlighting their uniformity and lack of vibrancy. These individuals claim they “survive” rather than “live.” To “live” implies thriving and fully experiencing life, whereas “survive” means merely enduring hardships without flourishing. Hope portrays Australians as reduced to mere survival, shaped by harsh conditions and suited only for a barren, desolate future.
And her five cities, like five teeming sores, Each drains her: a vast parasite robber-state Where second hand Europeans pullulate Timidly on the edge of alien shores. Yet there are some like me turn gladly home From the lush jungle of modern thought, to find The Arabian desert of the human mind, Hoping, if still from the deserts the prophets come
Hope critiques Australia’s five major cities, describing them as “teeming sores” that drain the vitality of the country. He portrays these cities as harmful growths on the nation’s landscape, suggesting they are sources of decay rather than progress. The urban populations in these cities are referred to as “second-hand Europeans,” implying they are not native to the land but descendants of settlers. Hope views these people as “aliens” to the country, disconnected from its essence. Despite this disconnection, they are rapidly increasing in number, further emphasizing their growing impact on Australia’s identity.
Despite his harsh criticism in the earlier stanzas, Hope acknowledges that some, like himself, willingly return to Australia, seeking refuge from the chaos of the modern world. He compares Australia to a desert, a place often associated with barrenness. However, he also notes that deserts are where prophets emerge, symbolizing wisdom and renewal. This suggests that even from a seemingly barren land like Australia, great minds and ideas can arise, offering hope for the nation’s intellectual and cultural future.
Such savage and scarlet as no green hills dare Springs in that waste, some spirit which escapes The learned doubt, the chatter of cultured apes Which is called civilization over there.
Hope describes a powerful, “savage” and “scarlet” force emerging from the barren Australian landscape, something that contrasts sharply with the peaceful, green scenery. This spirit breaks free from traditional thinking, transcending the doubt and superficial discussions of educated people. The term “cultured apes” mocks the idea of civilization, implying that what is often regarded as “civilization” is merely shallow behavior, lacking true substance or meaning. People mistakenly accept this false imitation as modern civilization.