People in Australia often use the power of written pieces, such as poetry and song writing, to share their understanding of society and recount of their many stories. Poetry, including songs, use imagery, repetition, rhythm, sounds, rhyme and many other poetic techniques to attract an audience.

The two pieces of writing, Reminders and Love Never Runs On Time, have a few similarities including the fact that they both have something to do with love. The poem, Reminders, was written by Geoff Goodfellow from the poetry book, Love is Cruel. The song, Love Never Runs On Time, is a song on the album, Wanted Man, written and sung by Paul Kelly. There are many similarities and differences in the poetic techniques used in the two pieces, including the use of repetition, imagery, language and theme.

Paul Kelly is a music singer, songwriter and guitarist born in Adelaide, South Australia known for his Australia folk and rock songs. Mr. Kelly has won several awards, including eight ARIA Awards and three APRA/AGSC Awards.

Geoff Goodfellow is a poet born in the inner-northern suburbs of Adelaide, South Australia known for his rough and tough attitude through poetry. Mr. Goodfellow has toured the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, China and Australia and has been a guest at many major literary festivals.

The poem written by Geoff Goodfellow, Reminders, is set in the house of the person speaking the poem. The poet uses objects, such as “dressing table”, “alarm clock” and “bathroom cabinet”, to let the reader know where the writer is. It is believe that the poem is set in the bedroom and on suite bathroom. The lyrics sang by Paul Kelly, Love Never Runs On Time, is set on the open road passing through a town. Although it does not reveal the transport, it is likely that it is a car because it talks about hitting “a big pot-hole”, travelling on “highway and a “radio”.

The theme of Reminders and Love Never Runs On Time is love for a person. They both express in different ways that you “can’t escape” your love for a person. The poem, Reminders, is about the love for a female that spent the night in the writer’s house. It is known to be a female because the writer talks about “strands of hair” left behind with a “white lace g-sting”. The writer shows his love for the female at the end of the poem, “your scent is making my eyes watery & still I can’t escape you.” The song, Love Never Runs On Time, is about the love of a previous or current partner, “I never thought we were perfect”. The verse used through out the lyrics, “You know and I know that love never runs on time” means the time in a relationship does not affect the love of two people.