Home Is Sanctuary

The true aspect of a home is evidently diverse for each individual. For some, home is a warm sanctuary where families gather to rejoice or console. For others, home is just a part of their busy routine, somewhere to go when the stress of life is too oppressive. In the end however, home will always have a crucial role in being a sanctuary in one's otherwise demanding regime. The poem 'Drifters' by Bruce Dawe illustrates how having no designated home is an affliction, one which leaves feelings of detachment and diffidence.

Written in 3rd person narration and through the perspective of a mother, the poem allows the audience to see what the family is dealing with but in an isolated viewpoint. The use of 'she' throughout the poem depicts the woman as a stranger, someone with no identity or value. The woman does not seem to belong here and her

However, the tone of the poem is conversational and is informal, leaving the impression that the writer is there in the story and is telling the story as it is.

The lines,

'and notice how the oldest girl is close to tears because she was

happy here" indicates that the scenario is happening now as it is in present tense and the audience will inadvertently feels as if they themselves are in the poem.

The cluttered layout of the poem helps to portray a sense of turbulence, highlighting the message of uncertainty and ambiguity. The structure represents the woman's defenceless, how she has no control of what any facet of her life and her stressing how difficult her life is.

This method effectively secludes the words on a separate line and informs the audience that they are important to the poem. The words "everyone up" signifies that everyone is leaving; this is a simple but explanatory line that seems quite abrupt. Just like how the family is suddenly leaving; the words are really short, as if writing anymore would take too long\

In the 2nd stanza, the green tomatoes that she harvests are obviously not ripe, and yet, she still picks them. This proves that in hopes to 'settle in' she had begun growing the vegetable. In the end however, she must leave and take the tomatoes. Her life revolves around her constantly on the move and as an itinerant worker, she has become accustomed to this routine.

Whilst they are driving away, the woman notices the black-berry canes with their last shrivelled fruit- the last fruit symbolizes her last hope, but it has shrivelled and signifying her last hope has vanished.

Near the end of the poem, the lines,

"She'll only remember how, when they came here

she held out her hands, bright with berries", specifies that she had hopes, earnestly prayed to have a place to call home, but

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