Homecoming Donald Bruce Dawe Analysis

The poem “Homecoming” by Donald Bruce Dawe is a clinical depiction of war written with third person narration. Though there is no specific mention of war, the poet’s use of implied knowledge and language conveys the themes of identity and death in conflict. The poem portrays the final flight of dead soldiers as they are removed from the battlefield and returned home to their loved ones. There is no rhyme within the poem, which is written as one continuous stanza created from one continuous sentence. Literary techniques such as repetition, metaphor, and juxtaposition are scattered throughout the poem, enhancing the mood and meaning within it.
The title “Homecoming” has connotations of joy and warmth, juxtaposing the contents of the poem. This contrast, enhanced by phrases such as “mortuary coolness” and “deep-freeze lockers,” emphasizes the pain of loss by first encouraging a false sense of happiness within the reader. The “homecoming” of these soldiers is not the happy reunion they believed it to be, but instead is a cold, dark and painful experience for their families.
Metaphor is used within the poem in order to enhance the imagery in the work. Lines such as “wide web of suburbs” and “whining like hounds” create both visual and aural imagery that encourage the reader to immerse themselves in the poem. It also gives a point of reference as …show more content…
The contrast between the last lines and the rest of the poem encourages these same emotions in the reader, as the feeling seeps through the carefully built façade seen in the rest of the poem. The repetition in the phrase “too late, too early” depicts the narrator’s bitterness over the loss of life caused by war, and the waste that is such a prevalent theme throughout the