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Bruce Dawe’s poetry provides a commentary on the cultural and social aspects of Australian Life, meaning that the key ideas within his poems include: the ordinary Australian and their everyday life and the ordinary Australian culture and identity, as seen through the poems he has produced, called “Enter Without So Much As Knocking” and “Life Cycle, for Big Jim Phelan”

Firstly, Enter Without So Much As Knocking, or EWK for short, contains 2 themes, in which are based on Bruce’s Social Commentary, The influence of the media and Desire to belong. The key idea present, includes that this is about the ordinary Australian, their every day life and the social aspects.

Influence from the media is present in this poem, as Bruce writes “first thing he heard was Bobby Dazzler on Channel 7”, this is caricatured of a normal TV host, which is backed up by Bruce Dawe commenting: “nobody was shushed or the master is creating or that sort of non-sense.”

Furthermore, another theme present within EWK, is a theme of Desire to belong. The desire to belong is a large factor in today’s society, with a side effect of losing identity and alienation. An example of this theme is present in the poem: “like every well-equipped smoothly run household” This is materialism as it is building on a cold, impersonal way of living, which would give the effect of a systematic childhood for the children. This can be backed up by Bruce Dawe exclaiming, “Acceptance of the free flow of demands you had to meet”

Also, under the title, there is a latin phrase, “Memento, homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris”, meaning “Remember, man, that thou art dust, and unto dust shalt thou return”, or in other words, humans came from dust and humans will return to dust. This is related to the basic issues of life and death.

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Secondly, the poem, “Life Cycle, for Big Jim Phelan”, is about the life of a child, from birth to death, born under the commandments of AFL. Themes present within the poem include, Secular pursuits and Existentialism. This is a view on the ordinary Australian culture and identity, of how we take in AFL.

An example within this poem that elaborates the theme of Secular Pursuits include: “they are wrapped in club colours, laid in beribboned cots.” This leads to a religious illusion, as you are born into a team, like you are born into a religion. Also included within this line is an alliteration of the words ‘Club colours’, meaning that they will never change, until death. Bruce Dawe talks about how he “Take it as it comes…” when writing poetry, just as the children born in Victoria must take the team, given through their parents and pass it on, elaborating more about secular pursuits. 

Another theme present within this poem, includes Existentialism, meaning the basic issues of life, death, purpose and meaning. In the poem, it claims: “loyally crying Carn… Carn… unto the very end” This means that the baby at the beginning has grown up and will keep following the club until they die. There is also repetition as in the beginning of the poem says the phrase: “Carn… Carn…”. As AFL is a common activity in the ordinary Australian Life, for Bruce Dawe, “Poetry is a common sort of daily activity”

Also, In this poem, the title includes the words “For Big Jim Phelan”. Big Jim Phelan is quoted as “The Father of Football” as he was a largely known for his commitment in AFL after WW1.