Judith Beveridge’s poem ‘Egret’ is a beautiful Australian literary work that has a clear healing quality and makes use of natural imagery. Beveridge takes seemingly insignificant things and transforms them into special images that hold deep meaning. She does an excellent job of capturing readers’ interest through her combination of auditory, visual and olfactory imagery, “the smell and drift of lemon blossoms” (Beveridge 1), “I heard the sound of a little bridge creak on its middle strut” (Beveridge 1), highlighting little instances of beauty in nature.
The persona is arguably hurt by something and experiencing grief, but is healed by the end of the poem. The motif of gems, “[I’m] polished into a set of rubies” (Beveridge 1), “moving the greens of a peridot into the low-lying bush” (Beveridge 1) are symbolic of value, beauty and healing. These lines, especially the quote: “[the river took] my grief and carr[ied] it into the current like a stippled gem” (Beveridge 1), supports that Earth’s gifts have the power to wash away grief and create peace.
This concept is inspired by Taoist philosophy, conveying the message that we should respect nature and be grateful for the healing experience it brings (Yang et al. 1117). Not only are we encouraged to connect with nature, but also its inhabitants. As per the title of the poem, the egret is the ultimate focus, its flying wings a symbol of freedom and resolution; something to inspire readers to fly themselves…
metaphorically.
Works Cited:
Beveridge, Judith. Hawkesbury Egret. 1. Australian Poetry Library, https://www.poetrylibrary.edu.au/poets/beveridge-judith/poems/hawkesbury-egret-0211013. Accessed 25 Oct. 2021.
Humphries, Will. Egrets? We Had a Few Last Year, Say British Birdwatchers. http://www.thetimes.co.uk, https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/egrets-we-had-a-few-last-year-say-british-birdwatchers-j60z8vmp5. Accessed 25 Oct. 2021.
Pink Gemstones · Free Stock Photo. https://www.pexels.com/search/gem%20stone/. Accessed 25 Oct. 2021.
Yang, Fan, Jing Lin, and Thomas Culham. “From Intimidation to Love: Taoist Philosophy and Love-Based Environmental Education.” Educational philosophy and theory 51.11, 2019. p. 1117. https://www-tandfonline-com.ezproxy2.acu.edu.au/doi/full/10.1080/00131857.2018.1564659
Verity's Literature Blog 
Verity, your blog on Judith Beveridge’s poem Egret and ‘why the poem works for you’ provides fascinating insights into the beauty of Australian poetry and Beveridge’s meticulous use of natural imagery. Your analysis of Beveridge’s use of symbolism and motif displays the healing power of nature which Beveridge’s emphasises throughout her poetry whilst also promoting your engagement with this poem. Furthermore, your reference to Taoist philosophy conveys Beveridge’s use of Taoist beliefs regarding nature within her poem and shows further engagement with the context of the poem. Overall, this is a fascinating blog post which clearly captures the meaning of the poem and how Beveridge’s uses natural imagery and language techniques to display her beliefs on the natural world. Well done !
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This is a fabulous appreciation of Judith’s Egret. Great visuals to support your insights too…
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