Description

Prescribed Text for HSC 2019-2023 – Common Module: Texts and Human Experiences

The definitive collection of work from one of Australia’s preeminent twentieth century poets, Kenneth Slessor, drawing from his acclaimed books, Earth Visitors (1926), Cuckooz Contrey (1932) and Five Bells (1939).
this selection was first published as One Hundred Poems in 1944 (with the addition of three further poems in 1957), and includes an introduction by Dennis Haskell and an Author’s Note.
From his historical series, ‘Five Visions of Captain Cook’, to his memorial to the loss of a friend, the iconic ‘Five Bells’, and from the tragic landscape of El Alamein, influenced by his stint as a war correspondent and made famous in ‘Beach Burial’, to the meditation ‘Out of time’, Slessor’s poetry continues to dazzle contemporary audiences.
A master of modern verse, Slessor explores the themes of art, death and time, displaying an impressive range: from sorrow to satire, melodrama to poignant intensity. His work still influences and inspires younger generations, and the prestigious Kenneth Slessor Poetry Prize is named in his honour.

‘studded with these beautiful jewels of language’ – Paul Kelly on ‘Five Bells’
‘More than any other writer, Slessor’s work turned Australian literature towards the modern’ – From the introduction, by Dennis Haskell

About the Author

Born in Orange, NSW, in 1901, Kenneth Slessor grew up in Sydney and had his first poem published in the Bulletin while still at school. Slessor had a rich and successful career as a journalist and editor, working at the Sun, the Herald, the Punch, the Daily Telegraph, and literary magazine Southerly. In 1940, Slessor was appointed official war correspondent by the Commonwealth government. Kenneth Slesser died in 1971 and is considered one of Australia’s finest poets. His poetry reflects his love of Sydney’s streets, harbour and people.