The theme of this poem is to show the pride that Australians felt during WWI while they were proving that they were an individual country that could fight for themselves. This poem also shows how Australia united as a country instead of being just separate states that had their own rivalries. The verse, “The old state jealousies of yore, are dead as Pharaoh's sow, we're not State children any more — we're all Australians now!” shows how Australians put their differences aside to fight for their country. The poem was used as a propaganda tool to get men to join the army and fight during WWI. The theme that Australia is finally known as a proper nation is shown throughout this poem, for example the phrase, “now we know what nations know, and feel what nations feel.” This shows that Australians finally feel like they have been separated from Britain and have earned their independence. …show more content…
The poem makes it seem like the men that died in the war are going to be remembered for years to come and are the reason that Australia has a “history of its own.” The author uses these events to provoke a sense of pride from the reader and to make them feel thankful for what Australian soldiers were doing and to encourage them to join them and fight in the war. The author makes it seem like going to war would make the reader feel a sense of making Australia remembered. The use of the phrase, “for never shall their glory fade, in minds Australian,” gives the reader the assumption that if they join the men fighting overseas, they will be a hero when they return. These emotions are provoked to try and get people to join the army and help the war