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y separately published work icon The First-Born and Other Poems selected work   poetry  
Issue Details: First known date: 1970... 1970 The First-Born and Other Poems
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

A collection of poems by Jack Davis that were inspired by his life, and that of his family.

Exhibitions

6943772
15517923
16598403

Contents

* Contents derived from the Sydney, New South Wales,:Angus and Robertson , 1970 version. Please note that other versions/publications may contain different contents. See the Publication Details.
Introducing the Author, Richard Beilby (interviewer), single work interview (p. v-xvi)
The First-Borni"Where are my first-born, said the brown land, sighing", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 1)
Retrospecti"When I was small", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 2)
The Boy and the Robini"The boy", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 3-4)
Camped in the Bushi"Wind in the hair", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 5)
The Childreni"The children walked through the bush together,", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 6)
The Boomerangi"You cunningly contrived piece of wood-", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 7)
Death of a Snakei"Six foot dugite of ebony sheen,", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 8)
Day Flighti"I closed my eyes as I sat in the jet", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 9)
Prejudicei"Is this a game", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 10)
Maureeni"Eyes sparkling,", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 11)
The Crippled Boyi"If you could run, child,", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 12)
My Dogi"You foolish creature charging in", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 13)
The Spider Webi"The web trembled, swayed,", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 14)
Memoryi"Something once said", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 15)
The Painteri"This is the canvas I can see:", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 16)
The Aboriginal Stockmani"Hands gnarled, fingers calloused by the bridle-rein;", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 17)
The Black Trackeri"He served mankind for many a year", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 18)
Warrui"Fast asleep on the wooden bench,", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 19-20)
Yadabookai"The desert wind, the harsh sun, your tribal land", Jack Davis , single work poetry (p. 21)

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

Notes:
Includes an appendix of A Bibbulum Vocabulary compiled by the author for the Western Australian Aboriginal Association.
    • Melbourne, Victoria,: J. M. Dent , 1983 .
      Extent: 51p.p.
      Limited edition info: This edition is limited to 1000 signed copies.
      Description: illus.
      ISBN: 0867700181

Works about this Work

Spinning the Dreamers : Jack Davis and the Drama of Assimilation Tony Hughes-d'Aeth , 2015 single work essay
— Appears in: Westerly , vol. 60 no. 1 2015; (p. 24-39)
Overhearing : Poetics of Place with Brief Reference to Jack Davis's Poetry John Kinsella , 2013 single work criticism
— Appears in: Island , Winter no. 133 2013; (p. 107-110)
'Why, White Man, Why?' : White Australia as the Addressee of Apostrophe in Contemporary Aboriginal Writing Russell West-Pavlov , 2002 single work criticism
— Appears in: Zeitschrift fur Anglistik und Amerikanistik , vol. 50 no. 2 2002; (p. 166-178)

— Appears in: Imaginary Antipodes : Essays on Contemporary Australian Literature and Culture 2011; (p. 23-36)
'Contemporary Australian indigenous literature is characterised by a remarkably prevalent use of apostrophic address directed at the white reader. This mode of direct address in black literary texts draws attention to the political dynamics moulding reader-writer relations in contemporary Australia. The article examines numerous examples of this direct mode of address in prose, poetry and drama, and argues that this direct mode of address is a central element in the message of black writers. The use of apostrophe implies the active 'positioning' of the white reader on the part of the indigenous speaker; only by virtue of this positioning is the reading process made possible. The direct mode of address in these texts thus demands that the reader take up a stance characterised by a readiness to listen attentively to black literary voices.' (Author's abstract)
'Spanning the Sky with Outstretched Hands': The Making of a Poet David Headon , 1994 single work criticism
— Appears in: Jack Davis : The Maker of History 1994; (p. 79-97)
The Poetry of Politics : Australian Aboriginal Verse Adam Shoemaker , 1989 single work criticism
— Appears in: Black Words, White Page : Aboriginal Literature 1929-1988 1989; (p. 179-229)
In this chapter the broad range of Aboriginal verse is examined to illustrate the diversity and talent of contemporary Black Australian poets. Shoemaker argues that any dismissal of Aboriginal poetry as simply propaganda is inaccurate and unfair. Aboriginal poetry ranges from the overtly political to celebrations of nature. The political stance of the writers is considered as well as the particular social conditions in which the writers live - and which they often address in their work. The works of Aboriginal poets Jack Davis, Kevin Gilbert, Colin Johnson, Lionel Fogarty and Aileen Corpus are examined. To emphasise the distinctive elements of writing produced by Aboriginal poets, Shoemaker provides a brief comparison to the work of selected white poets, Les Murray and Bruce Dawe. He also demonstrates the Fourth World dimension and increasingly oral predisposition of Australian Aboriginal verse by contrasting it with the poetry of contemporary Canadian Indian writers.
Australian Poets at Work : Some Recent Books Ronald T. Dunlop , 1971 single work review
— Appears in: Poetry Australia , no. 38 1971; (p. 61-64)

— Review of Canticles on the Skin Robert Adamson , 1970 selected work poetry ; Witnesses of Spring : Unpublished Poems by Shaw Neilson John Shaw Neilson , 1970 selected work poetry ; Chung Hua, The Central Splendour : An Anthology from the Chinese Martin Haley (translator), 1970 anthology poetry ; Fingers at Air : Experimental Poems 1969 Thomas Shapcott , 1969 selected work poetry ; Australian Poetry Now 1970 anthology poetry ; The Voyage to Brindisi and Other Poems, 1966-1969 Charles Higham , 1970 selected work poetry ; The First-Born and Other Poems Jack Davis , 1970 selected work poetry ; Late Summer : Poems Lyn Ingoldsby Brown , 1970 selected work poetry
[Review] The First-Born and Other Poems Katharine England , 1970 single work review
— Appears in: The Advertiser Magazine , 26 December 1970; (p. 12)

— Review of The First-Born and Other Poems Jack Davis , 1970 selected work poetry
Untitled John K. Ewers , 1971 single work review
— Appears in: Western Australian Teachers' Journal , March 1971; (p. 62)

— Review of The First-Born and Other Poems Jack Davis , 1970 selected work poetry
Crying Mercy for 50,000 R. Hall , 1971 single work review
— Appears in: The Australian , 24 April 1971; (p. 20)

— Review of The First-Born and Other Poems Jack Davis , 1970 selected work poetry ; My People : A Kath Walker Collection Kath Walker , 1970 selected work poetry essay
Old Verse S. E. Lee , 1971 single work review
— Appears in: Southerly , vol. 31 no. 3 1971; (p. 227-240)

— Review of The Book of Bligh J. M. Couper , 1969 selected work poetry ; Rodney Hall Reads 'Romulus and Remus' Rodney Hall , 1970 selected work poetry ; Rosemary Dobson Reads from Her Own Work Rosemary Dobson , 1970 selected work poetry ; Altjeringa and Other Aboriginal Poems Roland Robinson , 1970 selected work poetry ; Findings and Keepings : Selected Poems, 1939-1969 Geoffrey Dutton , 1970 selected work poetry ; My People : A Kath Walker Collection Kath Walker , 1970 selected work poetry essay ; The Branch of Dodona and Other Poems: 1969-1970 David Campbell , 1970 selected work poetry ; Dunciad Minor A. D. Hope , 1970 sequence poetry ; James McAuley Reads from His Own Work James McAuley , 1970 selected work poetry ; The First-Born and Other Poems Jack Davis , 1970 selected work poetry ; Op 8 : Poems 1961-69 J. S. Manifold , 1971 selected work poetry
'Why, White Man, Why?' : White Australia as the Addressee of Apostrophe in Contemporary Aboriginal Writing Russell West-Pavlov , 2002 single work criticism
— Appears in: Zeitschrift fur Anglistik und Amerikanistik , vol. 50 no. 2 2002; (p. 166-178)

— Appears in: Imaginary Antipodes : Essays on Contemporary Australian Literature and Culture 2011; (p. 23-36)
'Contemporary Australian indigenous literature is characterised by a remarkably prevalent use of apostrophic address directed at the white reader. This mode of direct address in black literary texts draws attention to the political dynamics moulding reader-writer relations in contemporary Australia. The article examines numerous examples of this direct mode of address in prose, poetry and drama, and argues that this direct mode of address is a central element in the message of black writers. The use of apostrophe implies the active 'positioning' of the white reader on the part of the indigenous speaker; only by virtue of this positioning is the reading process made possible. The direct mode of address in these texts thus demands that the reader take up a stance characterised by a readiness to listen attentively to black literary voices.' (Author's abstract)
Backgrounds to Aboriginal Literature Clifford Watego , 1988 single work essay
— Appears in: Black Voices , vol. 4 no. 1 1988; (p. 42-55)
The Aboriginal Poets in English : Kath Walker, Jack Davis, and Kevin Gilbert John Beston , 1977 single work criticism
— Appears in: Meanjin , Aboriginal Issue [Summer] vol. 36 no. 4 1977; (p. 446-461)
The Poetry of Politics : Australian Aboriginal Verse Adam Shoemaker , 1989 single work criticism
— Appears in: Black Words, White Page : Aboriginal Literature 1929-1988 1989; (p. 179-229)
In this chapter the broad range of Aboriginal verse is examined to illustrate the diversity and talent of contemporary Black Australian poets. Shoemaker argues that any dismissal of Aboriginal poetry as simply propaganda is inaccurate and unfair. Aboriginal poetry ranges from the overtly political to celebrations of nature. The political stance of the writers is considered as well as the particular social conditions in which the writers live - and which they often address in their work. The works of Aboriginal poets Jack Davis, Kevin Gilbert, Colin Johnson, Lionel Fogarty and Aileen Corpus are examined. To emphasise the distinctive elements of writing produced by Aboriginal poets, Shoemaker provides a brief comparison to the work of selected white poets, Les Murray and Bruce Dawe. He also demonstrates the Fourth World dimension and increasingly oral predisposition of Australian Aboriginal verse by contrasting it with the poetry of contemporary Canadian Indian writers.
'Spanning the Sky with Outstretched Hands': The Making of a Poet David Headon , 1994 single work criticism
— Appears in: Jack Davis : The Maker of History 1994; (p. 79-97)
Last amended 19 Feb 2014 12:14:30
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