Bora Ring Poem Written by Judith Wright

Bora Ring

'Bora Ring' is a poem written by Judith Wright. The reflective imagist poem describes the guilt felt by early Australian settlers of the genocide committed against the indigenous. The tone of the poem is regretful and has no formal structure. 'Bora Ring' is written in the contrasting perspectives of the settlers and the indigenous to emphasize the difference in culture and view of the world. Judith Wright feels remorse for the loss of Indigenous life, land and culture. The poet also uses a biblical allusion to Cain, relating his story to that of the Europeans.

The poem is written in two perspectives, one of the settler's view and one of the indigenous views. The first two stanzas are in the perspective of an indigenous, speaking of the spiritual aspects such as "dance", "chant" and "ritual". The poet is able to demonstrate the idea that that many rich and diverse cultures were lost and although no longer exist, their spirit still lingers. The "grass [that] stands up" is the only physical evidence of aboriginal existence, showing their cultures deep roots in nature. This idea is further enhanced by the apple-gums "posture and mime a past corroboree", showing that aboriginal culture and life are intertwined into the earth and will always exist in spirit and nature. The last two stanzas are written in the perspective of a settler, referring to the more physical aspects of the aboriginal cultures, such as "hunter", "spear" and "feet". The contrast in perspectives is able to establish the difference between the cultures and the ever-existent ignorance of the settlers to the spiritual relationship of the indigenous to their land and each other. This idea is established by the "rider" who is unconcerned by the cultural loss and only describes in physical detail. The onlooker feels fear, halting at a "sightless shadow", this 'fear' is "as old as Cain" showing that the prejudice of the settles began from their ancestors and is as deeps within a white mans blood as the aborigine's spirit is within nature.

Judith Wright illustrates the immense loss of indigenous life and culture through the use of the absence of objects and ideas. The "song is gone" demonstrates the idea that the death of a race is not only physical but also in spirit. Songs were used to express emotions and dreamtime stories; the speaker feels remorse for the damage that has been caused to a culturally rich populace. This idea is reinforced by the tribal stories which held all the knowledge and history of the tribe that are "lost in alien tale". The poet uses physical objects such as the "spear splintered underground", a metaphor for the loss of the culture in a white man's eyes to show that the settlers saw that the genocide