ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Well it's taken some months but, I finally finished a poem, I think it still needs to 'marinate' a while but, I just had to share with youse all. & yes I was one of those cheeky little so & so's selling papers at the stop lights.




The Bowie knife


While selling arvo newspapers,
between the traffic I would go
then leave before the lights turned green
and grin at that old So and so.

The weeks had passed, my coin I’d saved,
I’m eager now to buy my dream,
this knife to me would be my fame
and envy of the paper team.

A handle made from sun bleached bone
and long sleek blade of finest steel
Its perfect balance weighted true
with leather sheath so smooth to feel.

There was one problem on my mind
that threatened my new Bowie knife,
my father banned these weapons then;
if caught I would be in some strife.

It’s then an idea came to pass
to bury it down by the vine,
away from all the prying eyes
I’d dig it up when it was time.

So later on I dug a hole
then making sure the depth was right,
I greased and wrapped my special knife
and buried it that fateful night.

You see there was another hitch,
for from the back yard we were barred,
as Dad was home now for the week
to clear and landscape the whole yard.

Five days had passed, now came the time
to resurrect my secret stash,
and show it off to all my mates,
when we would meet to count our cash.

But my excitement was short lived,
replaced by dread I can’t detach,
my father cut down that old vine
then mowed and top soiled that whole patch.

He also built a barricade
to keep us young ones off the grass,
there wasn’t much that I could do
for now another week would pass.

Because I buried my new knife
beneath the moonless pitch black sky,
I had no clue on where it was
and really felt like I could die.

I never found my treasured knife
it’s deep within my memory,
though, often I still think about
that piece of childhood history.

David J Delaney
23/08/2011 ©

Good story Dave. That''ll teach ya!

Heather

Like the poem Dave but had to wonder if you have been reading my mail!
I was a paper boy too and I vividly remember saving up to buy a similar "sheath" knife which my parents were not real fussed abut me having at the tender age of twelve. I thought it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen with its shiny blade and bone handle. It cost me thirty four and eleven pence and I saved for weeks and weeks to buy it. Turned out the blasted thing was made of inferior metal and the point snapped clean off ruining the knife completely.
Was a good lesson at the time and taught me to always check for quality and not buy just on appearances!
Seems paperboys and fancy knives don't go together!

Vic

G'day Heather, no it didn't as I had numerous knives through my life so far

Thank you Vic for your comments, & yes, what a coincidence, my 'paper' mates went through a series of knives, mainly American 'flick' knives & being not long after dollars & cents was introduced I think it was around $12 & like you took what seemed weeks to save enough to get it (considering my 1st full 9 to 5 job when I was 15 after leaving school paid $14.80 per week) & it was very good quality as it was made by 'Sheffield' & there was a small 'Camping' & weapons import shop at Moorooka back then, I put $1 down & the owner held it for me until I had the full amount to give to him.

Sometimes I feel like going back to that old house with a metal detector, don't think the sheath would be any good bit I did slap heaps of grease around the knife.

Dave, maybe you could write a poem from the perspective of the knife. Come and get me - I've been here all this time wrapped up in grease! All the people that passed it by, unknowingly. NO? Just a thought.

Heather

Like Nike says Dave.


Just Do It

Makes me wonder how you have resisted so long ???


Bob

Well bob mate, it was not long after that we moved to Tarragindi & I got a job further away, these days I don't have the funds to go to Brissy to look for a knife & the old haose has been turned into a scafolding supplier also I can't afford to buy a detector, though I would love to try........maybe one day.

Got any mates in Brisbane Dave. Sounds like an interesting story that Manfred could follow up on his radio show ?????


What a wonderful story if they could actually find it ????


Bob

If I wrote a poem for every item I put away for safekeeping and later had no idea where it was, I'd have a book of poems the size of the phone book.

Well Neville, what are you waiting for? Get busy!