Poems by Charles Harpur by Charles Harpur (1813 - 1868)

Charles Harpur was arguably the first major Australia-born poet, best known for Australia-themed poems such as 'The Kangaroo Hunt' and the 'The Creek of the Four Graves'. Harpur wrote more than 700 poems, many of which were published in magazines or in posthumous collections. This collection is made up of four poems that were published in book form during Harpur's lifetime. Thoughts: A Series of Sonnets (1842) includes 22 examples of Harpur's take on the sonnet form, some tackling Australian themes; A Poet's Home (1862) is an extended reflection on nature and poetry, which was published with the shorter 'The Poet'. One of Harpur's strongest poems, The Tower of Dream (1865) has much to say on the nature of dream and nightmare. (Summary by Phil Benson)