North Country

Assessment Task

The poem “North Country” by Kenneth Slessor describes the lack of concern that mankind have for the people logging. It’s discovery of change from a beautiful environment to a dairy pasture and public institution in which the environment is destroyed. Kenneth Slessor uses many poetic techniques to make the reader to be on his side that the beautiful forest is getting cleared for technical advance and that this has destroyed a magnificent forest.

The first three stanzas describe the forest at it naturalist form that no one has touched it. In the line “The flanks of hidden valley” suggest that the forest has not been disturbed by man. The uses of simile “like archers’ volley” compares that the forest are like arrows stuck on the ground as a result of being shot and the end of the trees are like the end of the arrow. The line “vertical and perpendicular” this doubling up of words exaggerates the height and shape of the trees. The similes “Like rain gone wooden” this line suggests that it is used to paint the trees a heavy rain. This reaffirms the natural environment and the height of the trees once again. The Metaphor in the line “bangled by greedy death” this vivid image shows us the ringbarking that precedes logging, which makes the tree die. Death is personified by greedy which suggests a gluttonous appetite. The simile “tress like broken teeth” gives us a visual imagery that shows us the effect of the impact of violence on these trees. Kenneth Slessor shows us the violence that has been done to this forest and implies that the human has started on clearing the land.

The Last four stanzas describe the same forest after mankind has destroyed it for timber and clearing the land for dairy pastures and public institution.