''Where the Pelican Builds and Other Poems'' (1885) was the first, and only major, collection of
poems
Poetry (derived from the Greek ''poiesis'', "making"), also called verse, is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language − such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre − to evoke meanings in ...
by Australian poet
Mary Hannay Foott
Mary Hannay Foott (pen name, La Quenouille; 26 September 1846 – 12 October 1918), was a Scottish-born Australian poet and editor. She is well remembered for a bush-ballad poem," Where the Pelican Builds".
Early life
Mary Hannay Foott was born ...
. It was released in
hardback
A hardcover, hard cover, or hardback (also known as hardbound, and sometimes as case-bound) book is one bound with rigid protective covers (typically of binder's board or heavy paperboard covered with buckram or other cloth, heavy paper, or occa ...
by Gordon and Gotch publishers, Brisbane, in 1885.
[Austlit - ''Where the Pelican Builds and Other Poems'']
/ref> It features the poet's best-known work, "Where the Pelican Builds
''Where the Pelican Builds'' is a poem by Australian poet Mary Hannay Foott. It was first published in '' The Bulletin'' magazine on 12 March 1881, and later in the poet's collection ''Where the Pelican Builds and Other Poems'' (1885).
E. S. Wil ...
". The collection was republished in London in 1890 under the title ''Morna Lee and Other Poems'', with several additional works.
The original collection includes 30 poems by the author that are reprinted from various sources.[
]
Contents
* "Where the Pelican Builds
''Where the Pelican Builds'' is a poem by Australian poet Mary Hannay Foott. It was first published in '' The Bulletin'' magazine on 12 March 1881, and later in the poet's collection ''Where the Pelican Builds and Other Poems'' (1885).
E. S. Wil ...
"
* "Up North"
* "In the Land of Dreams"
* "Happy Days
''Happy Days'' is an American television sitcom that aired first-run on the ABC network from January 15, 1974, to July 19, 1984, with a total of 255 half-hour episodes spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marshall, it was one of the most su ...
"
* "In the South Pacific"
* "In Time of Drought"
* "The Aurora Australis"
* "Wentworth"
* "Nearing Port"
* "The Future of Australia"
* "Christmas Day"
* "The New Year"
* "Watch-Night"
* "The Belated Swallow"
* " No Message"
* "Charles Dickens"
* " Ave Caesar! Te Morituri Salutant!"
* "Napoleon III : 9th January, 1873"
* "To Henry the Fifth, Named King of France, A.D. 1873"
* "To the White Julienne"
* "In Memoriam : January, 1885"
* "The Massacre of the Bards"
* "David's Lament for Jonathan"
* "At the Fords of Jordan (The parting of King David and Barzillai the Gileadite after the revolt of Absolam)"
* ''The Magi to the Star''
** "Thanksgiving"
** "Prayer"
** "Farewell"
* "To the Virgin Mary"
* "The Melbourne International Exhibition"
* "The Australiad : An Epic for Young Australians"
Critical reception
Writing in ''The Australasian'' soon after the book's publication a reviewer stated that the poems "Mrs Foott...has always had the great merit of giving us a faithful reflex of the actual life and nature existing before her eyes, and is one of those who have helped to make intelligible to dwellers in town the character and the visible aspects and the romantic and poetic associations of life in the far solicitudes of central Australia. And this quality of faithful realism of view in the first place, as a foundation for poetic treatment, is as apparent in these poems as in her bright and graphic prose."
A reviewer in ''The Queenslander'' found merit, of a kind: "As a rule our local writers are below mediocrity, and one is almost afraid to open a volume of poems when informed that it is the work of a local author, but in the case of Mrs. Foott matters are different, and it is pleasing, therefore, to welcome to the world of letters one who has undoubted claims to recognition as an Australian songstress. The poems are all of them comparatively short pieces — most of them dealing with Australian subjects — and throughout these latter runs a strong feeling of affection and admiration of the new country destined, if Mrs. Foott's aspirations are fulfilled, to become great and glorious. Though there is nothing excessively striking, all the pieces are meritorious to a certain extent, the phraseology exceedingly happy at times, and the versification and rhyming correct and pleasing.""The Reviewer", ''The Queenslander'', 30 May 1885, p858
/ref>
See also
* 1885 in poetry
* 1885 in Australian literature
References
{{Reflist
Australian poetry collections
1885 books