ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

There’s a murder being committed just around the river bend
I can hear the old ones talking, though I cannot comprehend
For the language is both alien and native to my ears
As it echoes in my memory and carries through my years

There are three of them together, like the witches in Macbeth,
Their aura speaks of mystery, their colour speaks of death
They’re dancing in a circle with their wings spread open wide
And they all face in together as they bounce and spin and glide

The black beaks bark a warning in a harsh and ancient song
While the river birds of harmony refuse to sing along
For the song contains no music, but ignites my darkest fears
As it echoes in my memory and carries through my years.

I am trying to remember what I heard those years ago,
When old Lewie told the story and he pointed at the crow,
Saying “when you see that old man, you listen to him speak”
“He will warn you”, said old Lewie - and he died within the week

And now these three are dancing as they talk and sing and scream
And they feast upon the carrion I’ve taken from this stream
I know now what they are saying, I can hear it through my tears
As it echoes in my memory and carries through my years

h

G'day Hully,

Sure Hully I can see the drama something fresh....and I see a reference to the Scottish play. Hummm, when I went to the local grind for a coffee (green tea actually) I would run into a group of girls that would give those witches Mr. Spear (sorry Sir Beacon) wrote about.

For me Australian poetry is something that brings reference to OZ. I don't see much of it in the verse but that is deliberate I assume.

Yeah those coffee house witches watch'n N waitin for their cynical tongues and flopp'n over to whisper in each of their hairy green ears. Thank god I don't go there any more.....

Thanks for posting...

PHIL.

Good one Hully. Edgar A Poe depicted the raven as an ominous sign.

Crows are noisy vicious looking things but I suppose without them you'd have those kangaroos messing up the road out there at Bourke.

Yes I can picture exactly that scene Hully....(I hope you're still with us for more than a week though mate... )

Nicely done Hully - everything in life has a purpose and these harbingers of death are nature's undertakers as well. 'Murder' is an interesting collective always makes me think of Agatha Christy

good one Hully and I gather old Lewie was a black man as they believe the crow is a harbor-er of death

bill w

I loved that Andrew - you brought the menacing sounds and the scene alive.

I have a different view of crows as I had a pet one when I was a teenager and "He" was an interesting, funny and highly intelligent bird. Corky was with us about a year and then took off (probably found a beau) and we did miss him. I love the sound of the baby crows asking for food and then the sound they make when they gobble it down. Always makes me smile.

I've got a crow outside now making his presence heard.

Heather

You have an Adelaide football player in ya yard ? Well I never.

Sorry Chris but it does it for me ? There are five native species of crow in Australia.

{For me Australian poetry is something that brings reference to OZ. I don't see much of it in the verse but that is deliberate I assume. }

Bob

G'day Robert,

There are crows found all over the world.....Just a specific OZ reference was required that's all. At least for me....

An interesting tidbit. When I was in London I took a tour of the Tower of London. The beefeaters (ex- British Army Sgt Majors) in residence there feed the Ravens (as defined by their beak shape and size) so as they won't leave the tower. Skuttlebutt says, if the Ravens leave the tower; the end to the British empire is near. I don't think they will - as they have it much too good (high quality bird food) now that the public hang'n, behead'n, drawn and quartering has stopped many centuries ago. Thank god we have grown up .....but somethings never change do they?

Some of the largest Crows I've personally seen was near Newcastle by Williamtown RAAF base. Several with wingspans close to 1.6m in span.

Then again Odin (Norse god) he had two ravens....they were his eyes and ears......

And then look at the mess Mr. Kennedy got into over a crow call or two..........


PHIL.

This is great Hully; it's very atmospheric and creepy and I can see the crows so clearly. Have read it three times already and really like it.