The Star of Australasia
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| "The Star of Australasia" | |
|---|---|
| by Henry Lawson | |
| First published in | The Australian Workman |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Publication date | 6 March 1897 |
| Lines | 80 |
| Full text | |
 The Star of Australasia at Wikisource | |
"The Star of Australasia" (1987) is a poem by Australian poet Henry Lawson.[1] The poem is also known by the titles "War: A Prophecy Fulfilled" and "The Star of Australia".[1]
It was originally published in The Australian Workman on 6 March 1897[2] and subsequently reprinted in several of the author's collections, other periodicals and a number of Australian poetry anthologies.[1]
Writing about Lawson's "Battle Songs" for The Cairns Post in 1940, a critic noted that "Lawson saw the things that we suffered in the last war [World War I], that we will endure in this war [World War II], as far back as 1895 in 'Star of Australasia', one of his longest and most passionate utterances of belief in the future of Australia."[3]
In his volume A History of Australian Literature, H. M. Green called the poem "a rousing appeal to all who hope for the future", and one where "Lawson looked forward to the brightening and unifying effect of a great defensive war fought for a high ideal."[4]