ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

A comment just made by Zondrae prompted me to re post this it was I think on the old site.



I NEVER DID GO DANCING WITH MY DAD.


You know I've never given it a thought, and that is somewhat sad.
But thoughts come unasked and pop into your head.
I recalled all of the stories that my Mother told to me
and this is where those thoughts have finally led.

I was dancing with the Dyson, dragging him around the floor
with gay abandon, 'neath the table and the bed.
“Your Dad was a good Dancer, we went dancing every week
before you were born,” these words my Mother said.

“Your Dad was a fine dancer, a dancer of renown”
A reputation I would scarce repute.
But no one but Mum has memories, of their brighter younger days
so it's unlikely this fact any would dispute

But I never saw them dancing, though they spoke of Blackpool Tower
and the Waltz and Tango..strictly Ballroom style.
Big bands that played, with Sax and trumpet, piccolo and flute.
Their shared memories of dancing made them smile.

I know my Mum loved dancing, and I know not why they stopped.
Perhaps every day cares and worries wore them down.
With three kids to bring up, times were tough, Dad was often away,
in the Navy where he worked for King and crown.

But I never did go dancing with my Dad, that I recall
Not on my wedding day, for dancing there was none.
Perhaps somewhere, sometime he asked and I had turned him down,
hardly a young teenagers thought of fun.

My Dad's moved to higher places, he'd be ninety eight right now
and I often sit and wonder how he goes.
I suspect he watches over us...sees everything we do
and can hear his voice telling of what he knows.

Perhaps he goes to dances every week with Angels bright
and waltzes to music from celestial strings,
as he waits there for my Mother..the last dance he holds for her.
They will trip the light fantastic' neath their wings.

I never did go dancing with my Dad, that I recall.
But today I feel a sense of loss pervasive.
For I never have been dancing with my son.. never at all
Have to work on that. Perhaps he'll be persuaded.

Maureen Clifford ©

viewtopic.php?f=26&t=3081
.

That's a lovely poem Maureen; I enjoyed it. Even our parents were young once.

You make sure you dance with that boy of yours.

Heather

Goodonya Maureen,

Sorry you missed dancing with your Dad. I can remember dancing with my Dad on many occasions. A lovely poem. I had not thought of dancing with my son though. When we went dancing as a family would have been before the life sapping TV came along. Yes, it was all ballroom and mainly Latin style. We had such beautiful dresses. (and the underwear was almost as nice). It is one of the few things I regret about moving from the Italian culture to the Aussie.. not dancing proper dancing. In fact not dancing at all.

I like to watch Dancing with the Stars because I think it is lovely and I like the ballroom dancing - my Mum gets the hump about watching it - reckons it isn't proper ballroom dancing at all ( I wouldn't know) and that of course is how the story surfaces of how her and Dad used to dance every week in the ballroom at Blackpool Tower and that was proper dancing none of this jigging about stuff like they do now, throwing people all around the room, showing their underwear

I never got to dance with my dad either !!!!

Bob

... I did get to go fishing with my Dad ...

my dad was a pretty serious fella and took me to the beach one day fishing. I had a ton of fun catching small fry that was until they found that I was letting them go and the idea was to keep them for live bait for the real fishing to follow. Opps


I can still remember the old style yabbie pump where you used to have to put your fingers over the holes to create a vacumn and pull the sand out. They used to call it the backbreaker.

I have one of dads reels on the display case in front of his picture.

I also remember when he caught me kissing the girl next door but that is another story. Just thinking of it makes my bum sore.


Bob

My dad would take us camping and caving and on wonderful adventures in the high country. I had an amazing childhood.

Heather

twelve months on from writing this and I get a photo from my cousin in UK who I have never met - we are the same age and only made contact in the last 12 months

She got to dance with her Dad who is my Mums brother - ex Navy and sadly passed away now, but my cousin and her brother are coming to Australia next year for a holiday - something we are all very much looking forward to,.

I redid the background of the photo and coloured and relit it to make it look like a night time celebration. Previously it was full of stacked chairs, empty food plates and drink glasses - all rather messy IMO and I reckoned it was a celebration to be recognized...a dance with your Dad

That's a really unique subject Maureen & so lovely to read. Love your piccy too.

BTW...betcha can't guess WHO is a (real) ballroom dancing medallist?