ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Anybody read the article in the Weekend Australian (magazine) about Les Murray. I've never been a raging fan but there is something a little bit intoxicating about the way in which he writes - his stories and his take on life in general.

Some interesting quotes, amongst them: "He dwells on a poem for days, years. His genius is an ability to process the 1,025,0000 words in his brain and select precisely the right one to the follow the one that came before it."

What do we poets think of Les Murray?

Marty

I reckon Les Murray is a genuine bush poet.

In my non descript opinion Les Murray appears a bit like Bach's music. Bach is the musicians' musician, Les is the poets' poet. If you know what I mean.
Of course, I could be wrong.

I read the article, Marty, it was marvellous.

Too right Matt. If we open Pandora's box we might end up with a can of worms and let the cat out of the bag then be caught with our pants down when we are trying to close the stable door after the horse has bolted.

Is the article on-line Marty? I'd like to read it.

I think this is the one Marty was referring to Heather - http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/fe ... 7138041017

Interesting bloke

Thanks Maureen. It was an interesting article.

Heather

Interesting ?

That's like saying " Thanks for sharing "

When someone posts a poem ?


I read the article and it did nothing for me.

Bob

What did nothing for you Bob? The article, the poetry or my comment?

I found the article interesting because I knew nothing about Les Murray - zip. Now I know a little bit about him and have read a couple of his poems.

Another reason I found the article interesting is that Les has asbergers. I have just read a biography of Virginia Woolfe who had manic depression (it's an old book - old terms). When Virginia was depressed she would spend weeks in bed to reduce stress and stimulation and it was at those times that she lay there formulating ideas for her books.

What is fascinating is how people with brains wired a little differently, see the world in a different light and some may have the ability to translate that into poetry, literature, art, or whatever their interest is. That is interesting Bob.....

Heather

I have read Les Murrays small bio called Killing The Black Dog where he talks about his struggle with depression and being an "outsider". He is a remarkable achiever. His vocabulary is astonishing.

Les has had rejection by the "literati" so he is not just one of the modernist trendies, he says that he is a party of one. And he most certainly is a true blue bushie.

The fact that Murray has Asperger's is interesting in the light of Marty's "genius" quote from the article. Murray has finally accepted that he has autism and says: "People who have Asperger's have to learn human." As Heather suggests, those who have their brains wired differently can have thinking-outside-the-square insights and ways of expressing themselves. I posted Murray's Cockspur Bush back in June (viewtopic.php?f=14&t=5919&hilit=cockspur&start=10) and a few people commented on it. It's a good example of Murray's different approach to looking at things, the way he uses words in a sense that's not precisely logical but still conveys meaning. He makes you think about words and how they can be put together to create a striking impression.

Bush poetry generally tends to be very literal...the story is the main focus (sometimes the only focus), with the inventive use of language trailing behind. Poems like Cockspur Bush do the opposite, and there are useful lessons to be learned. In yesterday's Sunday Age Barry Hill bemoaned the loss of the ABC's Poetica, saying: "Poetry is the art of language used with the finesse of music." A nice way of putting it.

Cheers
David

Are they axing Poetica !!
I suppose they will replace it with programs on homebrewing or lives of the sports stars.

It's the end of civilisation