Introduction
This
guide complements the study of Poems for a Dead
Father by Geoff Goodfellow, for Senior Secondary and
Adult students.
Poems
for a Dead Father is a narrative of remembering
which takes us back through a violent childhood, while
painting a picture of the man who taught Geoff
love, loyalty and laughter.
The
guide offers a selection of activities to help students
form a deeper understanding of some of the themes and
issues raised in the poems. The suggestions and models
offered in the guide can be used as springboards to
student writing.
Seven
poems have been chosen to work with:
1.
To Your Three Sons
2.
It All Happened in Copley Street
3.
A Report to the Captain
4.
The Accent
5.
Things Have Changed
6.
Miles Away
7.
The Colour Blue
1.
To Your Three Sons
  
In this poem Geoff
reflects on the way his father passed on his wisdom and values to his
three sons. To do this Geoff trades off his father's language so we
can hear his father's voice,
you said
you run once -
& you run for the rest of your lives
There are many examples
of the colourful language that was spoken in working class households
in the 50s, full of metaphor, rhyming slang and pun.
you said
you don't use an aristotle
& you don't use a monkey's arse
you taught us
when to shut-up
& when to shape up
-- a reference to
the boxing traditions of the Goodfellow family.
Geoff has shown
us his father as teacher by constructing the poem like a series
of instructions, both verbal and visual, from father to sons,
you
said . . .
you showed . . .
you told . . .
you taught . . .
A recurrent technique
in Goodfellow's poetry is the 'snapshot'. Geoff provides the reader with
a photo frame created with words. Not only can we hear Geoff's
father's voice, but also we can see him down on the lino floor
teaching his sons to box -and much more.
Throughout this
poem as in all of the poems in this collection, there comes across the
strong affection and respect of son to father.
ACTIVITIES
* Think of something
that a family member or friend says or said frequently. Write it down.
See if you can add to it and make a list.
* Think of the
situation that best captures this person. Try to write down as many
details as you can so you can place this person in a context. Remember
the 'snapshot' idea.
Ask questions, 'Where are you, when is it, why
are you there, who are you with?'
* Do you have a
special memory of this person. Did he/she show you how to do something
- drive a car, kick a footy, cook a meal, ride a bike. Try to get down
the details.
* Think about the
culture of fighting today. How has it changed? Is it still fists? What
lessons have you learnt about fighting from your family? Write down
what you know about street fighting today, weapons used, gangs, language,
colours, tags, tactics, rules.
*Find out what
you can about fighting in other cultures, Greek, Lebanese, Aboriginal,
Vietnamese etc. What are their rules and traditions? Pay attention to
the notions of saving face, honour and shame. Does this raise the issue
of being caught between cultures? Explore. You may like to write a poem
on this topic.
*Reflect on the
concept of virtual fighting . . . on the computer. Has it replaced street
fighting? Perhaps you could design a survey. Do your friends have 'computer
parties'? What is the attraction?
*Slang, what is
it? Find all the slang words in the poem. Look up the meanings of any
you're not familiar with eg larrikin and lair. What is the difference
between these two words? What are today's equivalents? Make a list of
today's street slang. Reflect on how much comes from America . . .
MODELLING
Have a go at trying
to write a poem using Geoff's poem as a model.
I wrote this one
about a difficult relationship with my mother, who has also passed away.
Like Geoff, I've tried to trade off my mother's words and I've used
the you said structure. Also I've focused on one vivid scene from my
memory that sketches the image of my controlling mother.
Discuss the differences
in the two poems.
To your only
daughter... Mum
you said
"you can't talk to boys
boys are dirty"
you said "don't
wear black
black is for tarts"
you said "you'd
look so much NICER
if you cut your hair
long hair is messy"
you said " be
home early
or I'll have a palpitation"
you were always
in my face
but whenever I tried to get close
saying " let me do your hair, Mum"
you'd say "don't touch my hair"
so I gave up
and walked away
and then one
day
I'd just come home from school
first year high
I found you standing
in my room, Mum
you held up my
diary
unlocked and opened
you dragged me
out the back
and down the yard
to the 44 gallon drum
you poured on
the petrol
and said "BURN IT ! "
and I did
and I watched
the innocent ramblings
the first love secrets
flicker and burn
along with my respect
for you, Mum
2.
It All Happened in Copley Street
In this reflective
poem Geoff looks back on his childhood with some fondness, but the 'good
old days' of the 50s were hard, and he is happy to look ahead to the
future.
ACTIVITIES
*The 'sameness' of
working class suburbia in the 50s is shown by the repetition of the words
'everyone in Copley Street'. Repetition is a technique often used
by Goodfellow for emphasis. Think of your neighbourhood. Can you generalise
about it in the same way Geoff did? If you can't, why can't you? What
has changed?
*Make a map of
your neighbourhood; streets, shops, parks, schools etc. How many people
do you know? You might like to write a poem about it.
*Think of your
after-school, weekend or holiday experiences in your neighbourhood.
Tell some stories.
*Geoff reflects
on the education system of the time when forty to a class was normal,
milk was provided free to every primary school child and most students
left school at age fifteen to get a job. How has school changed since
the 50s?
What are some of
the schooltime experiences that stand out in your mind? Write them down.
Remember to use details to show the time, place and the feeling.
*Research.
Find out who 'Pig Iron Bob' and 'Honest Tom' were. Who or what were
the 'bodgies and widgies'? Why was milk given out to school children?
Work out the modern day equivalents.
*Do you have a
photo of your house? You can use it to help you write a poem entitled,
'It All Happened in ______ Street'.
MODELLING
I wrote a poem about
some of my experiences of growing up in the 50s. As you can see I have
used Geoff's style and structure to help me. See if you can pick the differences
in tone. Have a go yourself! We all have stories to tell .
It all happened
in Finlayson St
I grew
up in the 50s in
Finlayson St, Netherby
where every night
I'd put the billy out
for the milkie
and every morning
we'd skim the cream
golden and gorgeous
from the saucepan on the wood stove
I grew up in
The House That Dad Built
post-war, with little money
but rich in skills
Dad made the bricks
and Mum, with me still inside her
knelt on all fours
nailing floorboards
I grew up in
a house
where politics
was never discussed
I had to figure it out
for myself
and I did
while they said
"too good for us are ya
you're a radical
a bra burner
you're too independent"
I grew up in
a house
where sex was a dirty word
brother's wet pyjamas
nasty
don't touch
dirty
all a mystery to me
where sex education
meant getting marched
down the backyard
to the pumpkin patch
"it's all about seeds and bees
pollen and flowers" Mum said
I found out another
way
I grew up in
a house
where discussion was rare
where narrow minds and prejudice
were the order of the day
and comments like
"don't suck that penny
a black man might've touched it !"
were common
and shameless
I moved on from
that house
in Finlayson St, Netherby
but there are shadows
from under its roof
that live in me
still
3.
A Report to the Captain
 In
this poem we hear Geoff engaged in a monologue to his dead father in
the early hours of the morning. How frequently have we all had a conversation
with someone close to us who has recently died or moved away. Geoff
creates the nostalgic mood right from the start,
G'day
dad it's just turned
2 o'clock & it's mid-winter
& bloody cold
and there's
the rain on the corrugated
iron roof of the veranda
Then he begins to
reflect on his life so he can 'report' the news to his father, as though
he was just away on holiday.
He shares with us the familiar items that evoke
strong memories of his father, the wedding ring, the false teeth, the
glassblowing torch.
ACTIVITIES
*Perhaps there is
someone in your life who has died or gone away due to work commitments
or family breakup.
Try to write a
poem in which you 'talk' to this person. This is called a monologue.
Perhaps you had an argument and you want to explain. Perhaps you weren't
able to say goodbye.
Try to use your
own 'voice' in your poem. Reflect on words and phrases that you commonly
use.
Try to use details
to make your poem come alive. Make a list of the details about Johnny
that are mentioned in Geoff's poem.
*Make a list of
the slang words used in the poem. Do you know what they all mean?
*Research. Find
out what RSL and TPI stand for. Who was Sir Mark Oliphant?
*Read the poem
'Johnny's Reply', also from Poems for a Dead Father. It is another
example of a monologue. In it Geoff uses his dead father's voice as
if he is replying to his own eulogy,
what a bloody funeral
i'm buggered if I know
how they did it
it was a bobby
dazzler
MODELLING
Here is another idea
for structuring a poem.
Sometimes you find a line in a poem that really
grabs you and makes you remember.
You can use this
line as a starting point for a poem.
I've done this
with the line,
I
really miss you then
We all know that there
are special times when we remember people more than any others.
I've tried to write
about some of those times with my Dad, reliving them through recalling
the details, visualising the 'snapshot'.
I really miss
you then
Xmas Day,
Dad
I really miss you then
your plum pudding
boiling in its cloth skin
heaving with fruit
drunk with brandy
"who's got the threepence ?"
I'd hope
it was me
Guyfawke's Day
November the 5th
"gunpowder, treason and plot "
your birthday Dad
you'd struggle through the door
arms laden with brown paper bags
"what d'ya get , what d'ya get ?"
I'd
say
knowing there'd be
cartwheels
rockets
threepenny bungers
and the promise of colour and noise
we'd dance around
the Guy
flames leaping
my face lit up with colour
how I still love the fireworks
and how I miss you then
Sunday mornings,
Dad
you'd sit out the back
in the sun
pretending to be asleep
while I'd comb your hair
thick, dark and wavy
like mine
and I'd decorate it with flowers
I can still
feel the warmth
of those
mornings
with you
Cape Jervis jetty
sitting close
you and me, Dad
struggling with the wind
and the cold
dark chocolate for energy
and a thermos of tea
mixed with the squid ink
and tommy ruff scales
few words would
pass between us
but words were unnecessary
I was in heaven
and now
I miss you
still
4.
The Accent
This poem focuses
on how important the spoken word was for Geoff while he was growing up,
i enjoyed
those days
& nights when television
hadn't yet arrived
There was singing,
reading and telling stories,
while
we four kids
giggled & nudged one another
to get closer to the fire
How times have changed!
ACTIVITIES
*Go through the poem
carefully and try to find the differences in the way Geoff grew up and
the way you grew up. Here are some points to reflect on.
In the computer
age has the language of technology replaced the colourful spoken word
that filled Geoff's house?
Think of the language
you hear in your home, try to analyze it.
Do we still know
all our neighbours or do we lead more isolated lives? Do we move house
often? Are we preoccupied with safety?
Can you imagine
life without television? What would you do?
*Discuss these
points then write an essay [or poem] entitled, 'Growing up in your suburb/town
in your decade'.
 *Geoff
was brought up in the Irish Catholic tradition. He says,
it was
the theatre -
the costumes
& the powerful performances
that drew me in
Do you have any religious
affiliations? Do you attend a mosque, temple or Sunday School? Are you
fascinated by the rituals or the colour or the poetry?
Write about it.
*Can you 'translate'
the last eight lines of 'The Accent'?
If you are having
trouble, don't worry, so did I!
put the wood in the hole is 50s Australian
slang for 'shut the door'; twig is to understand; while listen
opium refers to a 'slow working dope'. Geoff's father's language,
rich with metaphor, was like a puzzle so the family was constantly challenged
to think.
5.
Things Have Changed
 This
poem looks at how the drug / American culture has invaded Australian
society and imparted new meanings to our words, and our lives.
a fit
was something
you'd have if we didn't do
the job properly
ACTIVITIES
*How has our culture
changed since the 50s? Use these categories to help you think.
- film
- advertising
- clothes
- work conditions
- language
- motor vehicles
- food
- sexual freedoms
- fashion
- multiculturalism
- there are many
more..
Choose one [or more] area, research it and prepare
an oral presentation for the class, entitled 'Things have changed'.
Try to use powerpoint to enhance your presentation, especially if you
choose 'technology' as your topic!
6.
Miles Away
A poem which raises
the issue of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD], previously known as
being 'bomb happy' or 'shell shocked'. In this poem Geoff refers to it
simply as the madness,
i thought
about the madness
the old man lived with
& how he served
in the Middle East
The setting is the
late sixties, early seventies, when young Australian men were placed in
a lottery where the prize was a trip to Vietnam, the War that is .
Geoff doesn't want any part of it.
ACTIVITIES
*Why didn't Geoff
want to go to war? What had happened in his childhood to put him right
off the idea? Give examples from the poem to back up your answer.
*How would you
feel about going to fight in a war? What would the scene be like in
your kitchen if you were 'called up'? Would you go? Discuss with your
classmates.
*Reflect on the
concept of real as distinct from virtual violence.
Computer games with their realistic graphics,
depicting killing, ambushing, wounding, maiming.
Conduct a debate, 'Virtual violence is desensitizing
us to real violence'.
Research . .
. What is PTSD? Find out as much as you can about it then write
a news article.
*Find out what
you can about the Vietnam War, and Australia's involvement in it.
Listen to the song,
'Only Nineteen' by the band Redgum. Listen to Eric Bogle's 'No
Man's land' and 'And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda' - both from
'The Gift of Years:the very best of Eric Bogle' Larrikin/EMI
*Could you find
Afghanistan on the map? Or Pakistan or the Sudan?
How much do you
know about the current crisis that is threatening World Peace?
Do you believe
everything you read and see in the Media?
*Do some research
on other theatres of war that Australia has been involved in during
recent times eg. The Gulf War, The Falklands, Korea.
*Do you have a
friend or family member who has been or is involved in a war?
If you can, interview
him or her and get some feedback. How did they react when they came
home? Why don't you see or read material on the effects of war? Are
we sheltered by censorship?
Perhaps you could
write a poem.
*Read 'A Mirror
to my Childhood', another powerful poem from Poems for a dead father
which highlights the effects of war on families and how behaviour can
be replicated through the generations.
Try to locate the
Bill Bennett docodrama, A Street to Die.
Find out what 'Agent Orange' is.
*Geoff was determined
not to go to the war in Vietnam, and his father supported him.
don't go he said
i don't want you finishing up
as stupid as your father
How did Geoff avoid
the draft back in the 70s?
Here's a hint:
7.
The Colour Blue
Poems are a bit like photos, they can bring memories
to life in an instant. In this poem, Geoff finds his father,
drunk
at my kitchen table
you were spread over it
but on further reading
we discover that it was just a photo. However it was enough to bring his
dead father's presence into the room. Geoff goes on to explore other photos
. . . and other powerful memories.
ACTIVITIES
*Look at the largest
photo of Geoff's father. What does it tell you? What are your first impressions?
*Find a photo that
you think you can talk or write about.
Look carefully at the photo. Note details, surroundings,
occasion, time of year, who is there? Imagine what was being said. Remember
it's just as important to contemplate what wasn't being said . . .
Reflect on the
gazes, expressions . . . what do they tell you? And the body language?
Try to write a
poem.
*You might like
to look for other photos of the same person depicted in different circumstances
so as to build up a story. Then use this idea for a poem.
study
guide
by Barbara
James
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