“The Firstborn” is a clear protest about the extinction of and discrimination against the Australian Indigenous people as shown through the eyes of the brown land. Through the use of personification, the brown land is depicted as a maternal figure that sends the poet’s message of racial division in society. The first line, “Where are my firstborn, said the brown land sighing.” paints a picture of the land mourning for her offspring, as a mother does when her child is being unjustly treated or has wandered away. She describes her “firstborn” as “they”, depicting Aboriginals as people, not savages in place of what the general public thought of them back in the day. She recollects how they were formed out of her “dust.”, something that could be related to biblical creation and how God formed Adam from the Earth’s dust and breathed life into him. She then speaks of straining her “ears for the sound of their laughter” and how “only their spirits dwell in the caves.” However as the poem goes on, the land’s tone becomes harsh and accusing, and is directed at the reader. “You are silent, you cringe from replying” is not only written in second person, but leaves the reader at the mercy of an angry land pinning the blame on the ones whom she “bore after”, showing there’s nothing they can do or say to justify what they did to her children. There is no excuse for racism. She sees the look of realization on the faces of the ones who have caused her so much pain as the questions are “like a blow on the face.” Her anger is brief but powerful as she drowns in the weight of her grief once more when she sees the “dying” and “neglect” of her children. Given our knowledge of generic conventions such as personification, symbolism, and historical context, the reader is given an even better understanding of the underlying theme and message of the
“The Firstborn” is a clear protest about the extinction of and discrimination against the Australian Indigenous people as shown through the eyes of the brown land. Through the use of personification, the brown land is depicted as a maternal figure that sends the poet’s message of racial division in society. The first line, “Where are my firstborn, said the brown land sighing.” paints a picture of the land mourning for her offspring, as a mother does when her child is being unjustly treated or has wandered away. She describes her “firstborn” as “they”, depicting Aboriginals as people, not savages in place of what the general public thought of them back in the day. She recollects how they were formed out of her “dust.”, something that could be related to biblical creation and how God formed Adam from the Earth’s dust and breathed life into him. She then speaks of straining her “ears for the sound of their laughter” and how “only their spirits dwell in the caves.” However as the poem goes on, the land’s tone becomes harsh and accusing, and is directed at the reader. “You are silent, you cringe from replying” is not only written in second person, but leaves the reader at the mercy of an angry land pinning the blame on the ones whom she “bore after”, showing there’s nothing they can do or say to justify what they did to her children. There is no excuse for racism. She sees the look of realization on the faces of the ones who have caused her so much pain as the questions are “like a blow on the face.” Her anger is brief but powerful as she drowns in the weight of her grief once more when she sees the “dying” and “neglect” of her children. Given our knowledge of generic conventions such as personification, symbolism, and historical context, the reader is given an even better understanding of the underlying theme and message of the