The author is implying a

poetic device, Assonance,

to keep the poem
consistent and flowing.
(River, Desert)

The writer has used a

poetic device, Alliteration,
to keep the poem serious
but also to add a bit of
power to the poem.

The social issue that the

writer is indicating is war
as they are talking about
destruction of homes and
possibly even peoples
lives.
The writer is also implying
the title repeatedly to
make the reader question
what is going on outside
their own lives and does it
make sense.

"Beds Are Burning"

Out where the river broke
The bloodwood and the desert oak
Holden wrecks and boiling diesels
Steam in forty five degrees
The time has come
To say fair's fair
To pay the rent
To pay our share
The time has come
A fact's a fact
It belongs to them
Let's give it back
How can we dance
When our earth is turning
How do we sleep
While our beds are burning
How can we dance
When our earth is turning
How do we sleep
While our beds are burning
The time has come
To say fair's fair
To pay the rent
Now to pay our share

The writer has used a

poetic device,
Onomatopoeia, to give
this particular part of the
poem a sense of meaning.
(Broke, oak)

The writer is indicating

here that we all have to do
our part and pay our
share, to persuade the
reader to think if they
have done anything and
make them reconsider not
doing anything.
The writer, Midnight Oil,
has used another poetic
device, Metaphors, to
create a powerful image
about war, loss and
destruction. It also allows
the reader to picture the
social issue that the poem
is discussing.

Four wheels scare the cockatoos

From Kintore East to Yuendumu
The western desert lives and breathes
In forty five degrees
The time has come
To say fair's fair
To pay the rent
To pay our share
The time has come
A fact's a fact
It belongs to them
Let's give it back
How can we dance
When our earth is turning
How do we sleep
While our beds are burning
How can we dance
When our earth is turning
How do we sleep
While our beds are burning

Midnight Oil, have used

another poetic device,
stanza, with the phrase
How can we dance while
our earth is turning, how
can we sleep while our
beds are burning as the
chorus to relate back to
the main social issue.

The time has come

To say fair's fair
To pay the rent now
To pay our share
The time has come
A fact's a fact
It belongs to them
We're gonna give it back
How can we dance
When our earth is turning
How do we sleep
While our beds are burning

Midnight Oil, have used

another poetic device,
personification, to make
this specific phrase seem
real and to give it a real
sense of meaning.

This poem has raised awareness for specific social issues, especially war and loss, as it
has made the reader really think if they can do anything to help certain causes. The
writer of this poem, Midnight Oil, has also used specific poetic devices such as
Onomatopoeia, Alliteration, Metaphor, Stanza, personification and Assonance, to add
power and a sense of meaning to the poem. The poem allows the reader to picture an
image of the social issue, which in this case is war. There are also specific phrases used
in this poem such as how can we dance when our earth is turning, how can we sleep
while our beds are burning, the time has come to say fairs fair, to pay the rent, to pay
our share and the time has come, a facts a fact, it belongs to them, lets give it back.
These phrases are the statement in this poem as they are the main parts that relate to
war, loss and destruction. The title for this poem also plays a big part as it is relating
back to war and really gets the reader thinking. This poem is one of many poems about
social issues and raising awareness about them, but by far one of the best at doing so.
Deconstructed By:
Zoe Owen