‘Sometimes Gladness’, a collection of poems by Bruce Dawe mention a variety of references to Australian culture; although often looked over by the reader. Without the use of stereotypical behaviours or even language known universally, the naming of certain places known to Australia in ‘Drifters’ and ‘Revire of a swimmer’ gets muddled with the overall message of the poems. Moreover, even when Australian slang is incorporated into the poem, a larger audience can relate to what is being said; as Dawe relies on universally issues to form the backbone of his poetry, especially in ‘Homecoming’ and ‘Life-Cycle’. Lastly, a distinct Australian poem would only be expected to explore issues relating to the countries individual culture or issues, though