Urbanised Reebocks Review.

Critical: This is my Week 3 Blog about the Poem “Urbanised Reebocks” By Lisa Bellear

Which poem or story that we have looked at so far made an impression on you? What was the impression it made?

Urbanised Reeboks by Lisa Bellear’s is an allegoric poem that discusses the process of modern-day assimilation for indigenous people.  Bellear’s utilises tactile imagery and figurative language to evoke the struggle some indigenous people face as they grapple with the loss of identity and culture. The poem effectively portrays the harsh reality of transitioning to an “urbanised” citizen, as per the title “Urbanised Reebocks”.

The misspelling of the title “Reebocks” and during the poem “blak” made a significant impression on me as it can have many meanings. The problematic “c” which is missing from one word and appearing in the other, could be a metaphor for herself trying to fit into the metropolitan society. When an audience looks at the satiric misspelling, it can be interpreted as just a simple unintentional editing error, some people may not even notice, however, it does make you look twice and think “hm something doesn’t look quite right here”. This, therefore, is exactly what Bellear is trying to convey in her metaphor, where, the transition into society is achievable, however, fitting in and not sticking out is complicated.

Another interpretation of this could be the colloquial slang of which indigenous people use; typically shortening words. This strategic word choice transports the audience into the “creek at Baroota” listening to the locals converse.

Controversy, it could also be a critique of the stereotype that indigenous people have inferior intellect and education; Bellear could be mocking this prejudice. 

Ultimately, this poem made me think about the use of language and the strategic ability use satiric misspelling to create new meanings of both the words and that around them.