‘In the Park’ by Gwen Harwood presents the reader with the image of a lady sitting in a park looking lethargic whilst surrounded by her young bickering children. It is only through a brief encounter with a former lover that we are displayed with her self-change. Through his vocal response, “Time holds great surprises” as well as his silent self-thoughts “But for the grace of god” we are presented with the idea that in this scenario change has been for the worse. Harwood displays through the use of visual imagery “…her clothes are out of date”, the use of sensory language “…two children whine and bicker�

Through time the speaker of the poem has matured. Although he is still dependant on his father in the second part of the poem it is on a more emotional level where as in ‘Barn Owl’ is was for guidance. This is shown through the contrasting language and tone of the two poems, from arrogance to tenderness. Where the boy was once self-absorbed he is now focused on his father. This is shown through the shift from first person in ‘Barn Owl’ to the use of second person in ‘Nightfall’. The change of values is shown through the words “a child once quick to mischief, grow to learn what sorrows in the end, no word, no tears can mend”. This shows the speaker now valuing other people and recognising the wisdom of age. Through the poets use of the same characters in both poems the reader can assume that change is a natural process catalysed by the fathers nurturing.

Through my study of changing self I have realised that it is a process, which is affected by both time and one’s personal attitude. All change occurs over time and can either produce positive or negative results, however it is the attitude one has towards change which usually dictates the outcome of the process. This concept and opinion of changing self has been proven through the analysis of the Gwen Harwood’s Poems ‘In the Park’ and ‘Father and Child’, ‘The Door’ by Miroslav Holub, ‘First day at school’ by Michel Leunig and ‘My Back Pages’ by Bob Dylan. All of these texts show that change occurs over time and the result is heavily dependant on the attitude one has to change.

Like Harwood’s ‘In the Park’, Miroslav Holub’s poem ‘The Door’ shows the importance of time and attitudes towards changing-self. Through the constant repetition of the imperative “Go and open the door” the urgency of seizing the moment is presented suggesting that the change of self must be done before it is to late. The speaker of the poem suggests that any change is a positive one through the constant reinforcement of positive visual imagery “a tree, a wood, a garden or a magic city” as well as “if there’s a fog it will clear”. This positive reinforced visual imagery shows the range of possibilities, which the change of self can bring. The significance of ones attitude is shown through the silent resistant voice throughout the poems entirety, frustrates the speaker and causes him to speak with an increased sense of urgency building up to the final stanza “At least there’ll be a draught”. The empathetic rhythm in the secon

Some topics in this essay:
Barn Owl, Morning Herald, Miroslav Holub’s, Harwood Subtly, Ancient History”, Gwen Harwood, Bob Dylan, Similar Leunig’s, , Miroslav Holub, changing self, ‘in park’, ‘first day school’, bob dylan, day school’, ‘first day, change self, ‘the door’, ‘my pages’, ‘father child’, speaker poem, day school’ cartoon, ‘the door’ miroslav, silent resistant voice, leunig sydney morning,