Australian Bush Poetry

[Nan]

Australian Bush Poetry is quite popular in our country. It is poetry that is written about Australia, the people, things that happen and way of life. It can be heart wrenching or funny and when recited usually gets a warm response.

 

Bush poetry has a special "lilt" to the way it is recited and a good example would be "The Man From Snowy River" by Banjo Paterson. It is said that in the past, it was used as a way of recording life and incidents by illiterate bush poets, and today it is popular and there are many competitions held for good bush poetry. Two of my friends are recipients of such awards and their stories (told in prose) are wonderful.

 

I thought over time I would post some of my favourite Bush Poetry here to share with my friends in other countries. I hope you enjoy them.

 

To start, here is a humorous poem that made me smile a few times:

 

This is the story of a Senior Citizens Club Meat Raffle. To explain briefly, it's quite popular to hold fund raising raffles and have a meat tray as the first prize. The meat tray would be supplied by the local butcher and contain a variety of cuts of meat such as steaks, a roast, sausages, mince (ground meat) and some chops - some even contain bacon and eggs as well or a leg of ham. Everyone buys a ticket for about 50 cents and the winner gets the meat tray.

 

My second contribution is one of the truly wonderful pieces of bush poetry "The Man From Snowy River" - this version is lovely to watch while you listen to the story:

 

Hope you enjoy

[Nan]

I'm following up with a poem written by my friend Veronica Weal. Veronica is an aclaimed and award winning Bush Poet and I thought I would share one of poems : This poem is called "Chasing Your Dreams"

 

 

There's a weary young boy swimming lap after lap

On a cold windy day after school;

But the grandstand is empty, there's no one to clap

When he finally climbs from the pool.

But his mind remains focused, he blocks out the cold,

And he thinks of a future that gleams

With a brightness reflected by medals of gold -

He's a boy who is chasing his dreams.

There's a waitress who works in a run-down cafe

In the town that she always called home,

And she dreams, as she's clearing the dishes away,

About London, and Paris and Rome.

In the evenings she works in the pub, serving beer,

With no time to herself, so it seems;

But she cheerfully strives for a goal that is dear -

She's intent upon chasing her dreams.

On a street in the suburbs a young couple stare

At the house they are hoping to buy.

It is old and neglected, but what so they care?

They are young, and their hopes are set high.

Though the mortgage and bills wont be easy to pay,

And misfortune may wreck all their schemes,

They are planning extensions, and children one day -

And together they're chasing their dreams.

There's a man who lies still in a hospital bed,

And his body is blackened and burned.

He's a volunteer firefighter, left there for dead

When the wind unexpectedly turned.

And his wife prays to Heaven to keep him alive,

As her world falls apart at the seams;

But the staff are amazed at his will to survive -

Single-minded, he's chasing his dreams.

[engines]

good one Nan

[Stormy]

Thanks for sharing those Nan

[Koach]

They are great Nan.

Thanks for sharing them. I'll show them to kylee too