Judith Beveridge’s Poetry Essay

An inherent tension between nature and the material world is revealed in the imagery of Judith Beveridge’s poetry. Discuss the significance by referring to three poems. Judith Beveridge poetry reveals an inherent tension between nature and the material world. She questions human’s ability to understand and be connected to nature, examines human’s destructive power over nature and demonstrates the changing nature of the world from natural to materialistic. This is represented in her poems, Mulla Bulla Beach, Fox in the Tree Stump and Streets of Chippendale. Judith Beveridge’s poetry examines the ability of humans or the materialistic world to be interconnected with nature. In the poem Mulla Bulla Beach she examines a human’s ability to be part of nature, particularly from an outsiders perspective. She states â€Å" A new world to me, but familiar†, demonstrating how she can be related to nature. She also examines an insiders perspective on the beach, in particular the fisherman, stating â€Å" who are born hearing the sea always there† She examines how the fisherman have become part of the natural rhythm demonstrating how humans can be part of nature, and the tension between the material world and nature does not need to exist. She uses many similes to link humans or human objects to nature for example â€Å"Jellyfish clear as surgical gloves† and â€Å" tide winded shells pacing quietly as shore runners†. These similes demonstrate how humans can not only understand but also be part of the natural rhythm. This is also seen in Judith’s poem, The Fox in a Tree Stump. Judith examines how the child feels a connection to the fox and its innocent nature stating, â€Å" Fox hairs of dust sweated in my palms† although, this connection does not overpower the fear of her uncle, so she kills the fox. This demonstrates that although humans may feel connected to nature although this does not prevent them from destroying aspects of nature. Judith Beveridge examines the inherent tension between nature and the material world by examining a human’s ability to understand nature.