ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Bush poems? Not a drover's dog, or cattle herd in sight. No mention of Australia or Australians. Probably not eligible for a bush poetry competition although I have heard some recited where "traditional" poems can be recited. Some of my favourite Lawson poems in this list. Love poems, personal poems, poignant poems, wonderful poems!

The Watch on the Kerb
Faces in the Street
The Ghost
The Water Lily
The Shame of Going Back
My Literary Friend
When Your Pants Begin to Go
The Men Who Come Behind
The Men We Might Have Been
The Dons of Spain -
With Dickens
Bertha
The Women of the Town
Do You Think That I Do Not Know

Heather

Stephen Fry, you stay out of this!

Yes Heather. Poems about non-bush subjects (however one may perceive them) as you say might be seen as being caught in no-man's-land. Neither Free Verse nor Bush Ballads... perhaps. However they are extremely good poems, and so where is the literary justice if they are excluded?

I mean.. were Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson Bush Poets? Yes... but only when when they wrote "Bush"? Otherwise they were ... something else.
"What's the use of writing bush though editors demand it..." Henry Lawson. Henry seems to see a division between bush and non-bush. Very confusing.

And what about poor old C.J. Dennis..? and The Bloke. Did writing in the venacular, the langwidge of Little Lons in Melbourne, make him a "bush" poet... ? or was he only that when he wrote "Jim Of The Hills"? If he entered "The Play" in a comp today, would he be told "sorry Den, not good enough..." ?

My own response now is to interpret Bush Poetry as not being ABOUT the bush necessarily... but that the term is merely a broad title for Traditional Australian Ballad = Bush Ballad

A "Traditional Australian Poet", while not coming off the tongue so easily and perhaps not having the wide recognition that "Bush Poet" has, is a better description and all encompassing.

Just to add confusion, if one does a google search on ballad there are several definitions and one sensible comment says that these days it has so many structured forms that you simply cannot afford it the luxury of a strict definition. Don't we all love the comfort of a strict label for compartmentalisation?

Personally I am not totally sold on the term Bush Poet as it implies the very restriction on subjects that you outline. For convenience and simplicity, one uses and accepts the term I guess.

So I interpret "Bush" as being not so much a restriction on subject matter but as a restriction on Style of writing.

In the past I have shared your uncertainty about entering poems in Bush Poetry Competitions that do not specifically address "the bush", however one may perceive that. Indeed I have altered a line or two and replaced old tree with gum tree in order to bring it more into the fold. A travesty for any purist. These days I do not do it! Incidentally I can quote some recent Bush Poetry Comps that have awarded first prize to poems on very non-bush subjects.

Glenny Palmer may have some comments as to whether she, and perhaps other judges too, see the term "Bush Poetry" as being a restriction on subject (which many may resent in principle and say I will write on any subject that I choose!) or as merely a restriction on style requiring a rigorous and disciplined ballad technique with structure, rhyme and meter.

That also highlights a point I made recently that some Comps allude to Paterson and Lawson as examples of what they want, and as you say Heather, those poets certainly did not restrict themselves to bush subjects.

Thus it follows I believe, that the subject restriction of being "bush" necessarily, is now generally non-existent in Bush Poetry competitions at least. Get that style tight and then.. just go for it.... !

Finally... as a "bush poet" one needs to have an answer if someone says "So you reckon you are a bush poet,eh? well what do you mean Bush?? " Perhaps not the correct answer, as I suspect there simply isn't one. Just an instant and plausible explanation. To not have an answer or try and flum one, is to potentially look foolish.

Maybe better to label oneself a Traditional Australian Poet in the vein of Banjo Paterson, rather than a Bush Poet...? less complicated.

Fair comment Gary and a good explanation as well

My bit,

I believe it is up to the judge of the competition.

I feel that if a competition states particularly that it should be based in the bush, then this is a requirement. However if the rules state this is a comp for 'Bush Poetry' then the subject does not have to be in or of 'the bush' but the poem must be, as defined 'bush poetry' that is, written with consistent rhyme and metre.

Sometimes the difference in first and second place is this.

If there is a poem so outstanding that the 'bush' component is the only thing holding it back I would when considering my choice
1. and probably refer to the rules of the comp
2. and also consult with the organisers as to the intent of the rule.

G'day Heather, yes we need to bring back the taste of the poets that lived the life they write about. the people that cut their teeth in a bush generation.
There are a few books that i have that are not available to our modern bush poets. these books need to be reprinted for the knowledge to our future poets. to recite and enjoy.
we need to take on the task of preserving these bush poems for the next few generations to have available for family purpose and keepsakes.


Duncan.

We could call it The People's Democratic Poetry but that might not catch on with the more reactionary elements.

We could call it Folk Poetry but folk sounds a bit German and might offend the more patriotic Oz versifiers.

Perhaps it could be known as Vulgar Verse, from the Latin "vulgus"; the ordinary people. Some bush poets I've heard fit in well with the vulgar verse appellation.

It is a popular practice in these times to declare some things to be non. e.g. non aboriginal, non English speaking background, etc Perhaps our verse could be known as non-urban poetry.
The sound of that might appeal to both country listeners and jaded urbanites, Voila ! wide appeal !! and wide scope for themes and styles and content. Non Urban; perfect, so post-modern.

Noooooo here we go again , how many times do we have this discussion and resolve nothing ?


The objectives of the Australian Bush Poets Association is to foster and encourage the growth of Bush Poetry in Australia. By definition, Australian Bush Poetry is metred and rhymed poetry about Australia, Australians and/or the Australian way of life.

Does anyone actually read the front page of our site ?


Bob

You didn't answer the question Bob.

Not gunna either I just wack them in to a comp and see what happens,

Put them judges under pressure is the way to effect change.

Bob

I'm not talking about competitions.