ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Running a bit late (again).

PURE GOLD.
© Ron Boughton. April ‘24

I’d wandered down the Mayne Street of historic Gulgong town,
where ‘People’s Poet’ Henry is the jewel in the crown.
So thus I did arrive, at his museum’s entry door,
although I’d made that pilgrimage so many times before!
So once again, there I was, absorbed in his life and work,
from squalid city streets out to the dusty back of Bourke.
And people long forgotten would emerge on many page
and in old photographs, some badly mottled …just from age.

Fulfillment was the happy feeling when back on the street
for that excursion with Henry, was once again a treat!
Museums, it seemed to be, were the calling of the day,
for next it was the ‘Pioneers’ in Herbert Street, up the way.
When age can cloud the memories of our history past
they’re easily revived here, in this superb collection vast!
One enters into a time warp of all things yesteryear,
saluting those who faced the hardships of a new frontier!

All accolades go to those, who maintain and volunteer
and also those, who came up with the original idea!
If artifacts are not preserved, they are, forever gone
and links to our past are blank, as generations move on.
I ventured back to Mayne to the Holtermann museum there,
a gallery of glass plate photographs, in great repair!
Hard to believe, how sharp they are, all in the days of gold
and some about the time, when Henry was but Five years old!

There’s quite a few with animals, some looking quite downcast
and easy to see they are not, pampered pets from the past!
But if you love a bit of history, of this, our great land
in regions where the fortune hunters for gold, mined and panned,
go out on Henry’s birthday and visit old Gulgong town,
as they celebrate with Grenfell in festivals of renown!
With great parades of history including ladies with big hats
and men with scratchy whiskers, wishing Henry big congrats!

G/day Ron

Reading your poem makes me wish I had spent a bit more time there,
when Val and I passed through some years ago, returning from Tamworth I think.
As usual in a hurry to get somewhere but did get a quick bite to eat there, a hamburger I think?
Getting back to the poem It's no secret that like most of us you hold Henry in the highest esteem and why not?
I really enjoyed the way took us back to those heady gold rush days and some of the history that's preserved there as well.
Unfortunately, we in the west have been very poor in preserving a lot of ours.

Well done mate.

Terry

This is great, Ron. I have long wanted to visit Gulgong but that particular treat still lies in store for me. You have done well here with describing it and encouraging people to go whilst at the same time cleverly weaving those prompts in. I like that second line too: where ‘People’s Poet’ Henry is the jewel in the crown
Also, how true is this?: If artifacts are not preserved, they are, forever gone and links to our past are blank, as generations move on.
Anybody who works hard to maintain the preservation of past history for generations to come has my gratitude and respect!
Really enjoyed reading this poem.

WOW! I have never been to Gulgong but it seems to have a hold on more than a few 'treasures' worth seeking out. I love the way our poets are able to capture history in their words - I've said it many times before but I reckon if history had been taught to us at school in this manner, far more of us would appreciate and remember it. I also believe strongly that our poetry that we write today will decades from now be equally as important as Banjo's and Henry Lawsons etc etc - each poem a time capsule, just as theirs are.

I love the way you wove the prompts through the story - Nicely crafted Ron and definitely pure gold.

Thank you Terry, Catherine and Maureen for your kind comments, much appreciated.
Yes Gulgong is a great little town with so much history attached and certainly worth a visit if possible.
Our Daughter in law came from Gulgong and I have a Sister at Grenfell (another great little town, and Henry's birthplace), so there has always been friendly banter in the family over the years, as to who has the right to claim Henry as their own!
Thanks again,
Ron.