10 Mary Street. Ms Lee, by Charles Knight

 10 Mary Street. Ms Lee, By Charles Knight

Peter Skrzynecki’s poem ’10 Mary Street’ reflects on his understanding of cultural belonging. Throughout the poem we are presented with many time references which shows the reader that he has under-gone a struggle during a time period where he has tried to get in touch with the Australian culture. Peters vivid recounting on this period from 19 years ago tells the reader that this was a significant period of his life.

Skrzynecki uses metaphors and personification techniques which   consequently allows the reader to be present in the his life story. Skrzynecki uses the personification by showing the audience that his house ‘stands in its china-blue coats’. Peter shows this to give the reader a sense and image of where he lived in the time period. Similarly, Skrzynecki uses a simile to describe the way that he ravages and eats the food from the back-garden by saying ‘I’d ravage the backyard gardens like a hungry bird’ because he is hungry for the approval of his family and his new nations culture.

Towards the end of the poem we are told by Skrzynecki that he and his family have become ‘citizens of the soil’ this demonstrates even when we are given this piece of information we are hit with a statement that rectifies what we have just been told, ‘inheritors of a key, told that it’ll open no door when this house is pulled down’ this describes that they will still have a very hard time fitting into the Australian lifestyle and living standards even though they are now ‘ citizens of the soil’.