Useless Analysis- “Homecoming” by Bruce Dawe Essay Example

tilting like skiers, as they approach their landing.

The planes holding the brave soldiers finally land and, the howl of their homecoming rises, describing the aircrafts' loud, pronouncing arrival. More significant words land in the poem as the planes group together; surrounding them like their last moments. This sentence represents the loud, ear crushing sounds of both the present planes and past gunfire and warfare. The soldiers are off the planes and being sent home, on to small towns where dogs in the frozen sunset raise muzzles in mute salute.

Not only does this vivid language give a living image, but it shows how the families (to even their pets) are sorrowful for their losses. This continues through another use of a metaphor and simile to spread the news to loved ones, on to cities in whose wide web of suburbs telegrams tremble like leaves from a wintering tree. This tells how the messengers that must tell other loved ones hands' tremble in fear to be the bearer of bad news. Again, it emphasises how large a scale this war was and how Dawe believes it is unseen to the power of its true horror.

The last sentence of the poem, - they're bringing them home, now, too late, too early, sums up some of Dawe's opinion. The soldiers that came home did so too late, because they were killed in action, and too early because they were so young. The effects of war for these kinds of reasons is seen too lightly by the rest of the world. For some, that is because of ignorance. However, for the majority, it is

because its comprehension is too great and ghastly for the human mind. The recognition of those involved in war can never be enough.