Kenneth Slessor
Who is Kenneth Slessor
Kenneth Adolphe Slessor (27 March 1901 – 30 June 1971) was an Australian poet, journalist and official war correspondent in World War II. He was one of Australia's leading poets, notable particularly for the absorption of modernist influences into Australian poetry. The Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry is named after him.
Early life
Slessor was born Kenneth Adolphe Schloesser in Orange, New South Wales. As a boy, he lived in England for a time with his parents and in Australia visited the mines of rural New South Wales with his father, a Jewish mining engineer whose father and grandfather had been distinguished musicians in Germany.His family moved to Sydney in 1903. Slessor attended Mowbray House School (1910–1914) and the Sydney Church of England Grammar Sch...
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Kenneth Slessor Poems
- Last Trams
I
THAT street washed with violet
Writes like a tablet
Of living here; that pavement
...
- Chessmen
CHAFING on flags of ebony and pearl,
My paladins are waiting. Loops of smoke
Stoop slowly from the coffee-cups, and curl
In thin fantastic patterns down the room
...
- Out Of Time
1
I saw Time flowing like a hundred yachts
That fly behind the daylight, foxed with air;
Or piercing, like the quince-bright, bitter slats
...
- Full Orchestra
MY words are the poor footmen of your pride,
Of what you cry, you trumpets, each to each
With mouths of air; my speech is the dog-speech
Of yours, the Roman tongueâ??but mine is tied
...
- City Nightfall
SMOKE upon smoke; over the stone lips
Of chimneys bleeding, a darker fume descends.
Night, the old nun, in voiceless pity bends
To kiss corruption, so fabulous her pity.
...
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Kenneth Slessor Quotes
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Comments about Kenneth Slessor
- Onthenthday: on the 2,156,293rd day, god created kenneth slessor.
- Hunter_books: everybody digs pam brown!
winner: judith wright calanthe award, qlas.
shortlisted: kenneth slessor prize, nsw plas.
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- Newcastleboyy: just looked at the nsw premier’s literary awards 2023. some familiar names. kim cheng boey is listed under the kenneth slessor prize for poetry. dr. boey provided excellent feedback when i was one of his students.
- Blvck_skinhead: god of mary slessor
- Dehler45: of seabirds’ voices far away . and bells , five bells , five bells coldly ringing out . five bells . kenneth slessor. i like quiet space .
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