ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

It’s still magical … Maureen Clifford © The #Scribbly Bark Poet

There were some who would tell you the track you were on
was just a red dirt road to nowhere.
But others who’d travelled it often - belong
to a group with a vision of where
those magic stones waited, their story to tell
where the secrets of ancients, captured in their spell
the soul of the listeners; sight, sense and smell.
Tight embraced by love of country.

It’s well known round the ridges that nowhere is close
to somewhere – the heart of this land,
whose story is timeless, as timeless as song
and distinct as the lines on your hand.
The land's ancient wisdom is written in earth,
on each river rock, on each leaf, every birth
of a star in the universe. There is no dearth
of magic it’s willing to share.

Close your eyes as you sit quiet beneath the night sky.
Let the sounds that surround you come in.
Breathe the clean evening air scented with the sweet gum.
Clear your mind of all conflict within.
Hear the sinuous slide of a snake through the sand,
feel the reverberation as across the land
mobs of roos on the move in a cohesive band
move out onto grasslands to feed.

There are those with the knowledge and stories to tell
who will share ancient wisdom with kin.
Keepers of the stones who guard their culture well
these are tribal elders from within.
They are hunters, and warriors, initiated men
all of whom hold the magic, the ancient’s wisdom;
just take time to listen - take their story in.
It’s still magical in every way.

You got all the lines in Maureen. Good work.


No criticism of you Maureen, just my mind went sliding in this direction when I read it.
Since this is a workshop I'll mention that this piece reminds me how Roland Robinson used to collect traditional Aboriginal stories and transpose these into poems ( bush poems ? ) Robinson always put the name of the Aboriginal person who told the story into the title.
Apologies, I'm a bit off the track here but Roland Robinson's work could be interesting for those contemplating traditional native experience.

Very sensitive and evocative, Maureen...nicely done!

Cheers
David

Another compelling word picture, Maureen - I can really visualise it!

Just love this bit:

Hear the sinuous slide of a snake through the sand,

In case someone's been asleep and hasn't noticed (!!), I'm a real fan of alliteration - and this is a great example.

Cheers, Shelley

Thank you Neville, Shelley and David.

I couldn't add a name in Neville because it all came from my head and own imagination, having said that though I love relating Aboriginal stories into rhyme. I am unfamiliar with the work of Roland Robinson but I am about to go and investigate it.

You and Shelley have gone down the same path of thought as I have Maureen, but mine is much shorter. This is a lovely piece, and as usual paints such a clear picture and evokes such feeling.

Seems perhaps the dreamtime spirits guide us And I am pleased about that Ladies - especially if it promotes some interest in not only poetry but in our aboriginal culture as well.

You have captured the "Dreamtime" very well Maureen. Nicely done.

Sue

Thank you Sue - I try