“Deadly Australia” is a poem that plays with the idea that Australia has some of the most deadly animals in the world. It includes rhyme, hyperbole and alliteration.
“Deadly Australia”
By Kia West
Welcome to Australia
The animals want you dead
Watch out for the drop bears
They’ll come and take your head
Watch out for the spiders
They’ll kill you with a bite
And the sneaky little buggers
Are hiding in plain sight
Watch out for the snakes
Up high or on the ground
They’ll fill you up with poison
And never make a sound
And if you think the killers
Are limited to land
You’d better think again
As you’re heading to the sand
On our lovely beaches
Basking in the sun
Are hordes of stinging bluebottles
Out to have some fun
Watch out in the water
Killers stalk the blue
Cone shells, sharks and blue rings
Can all do harm to you
But if you want the danger,
The deadliest of all,
Go and watch the footy
There’s bound to be a brawl!
Poetic Devices:
Rhyme
Hyperbole
Alliteration
More about this “Deadly Australia” poem…
This poem doesn’t lie; Australia has some incredibly dangerous animals that people need to be aware of to keep safe. It does use hyperbole to play on the assumption of many tourists that they will run in to these creatures on a day to day basis if they visit Australia.
The final verse refers to Australian Rules Football, also known as AFL, which is known to be a particularly brutal sport. Players wear no padding, play full contact and often have full out fights on the field. It’s a beautiful release of primal instinct and competition that forms bonds between players and between supporters. In Australia, many people would agree that knowing and approving of your friends’ political affiliations is nowhere near as important as being able to accept the footy team they support. (Go Hawks!)
The poem has seven verses with four lines each. There is a consistent rhyme scheme that can be described as ABCB.
Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words. An example of alliteration in “Deadly Australia” is in verse seven, where the “d” sound is repeated in lines one and two, as well as the repetition of the “b” sound in the fourth line.
The use of rhyme and alliteration helps the poem to flow by creating a rhythm.
For more poems like this one, click on the link below.