ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Recently read about the possibility of -
Tarrin' the Tanami.

Haven't travelled that one yet.
But, I remember (Rob Cook ?) did in his wheelchair.


Travellin’ the Gibb.

They’re bungin’ some tar on the
Gibb River Road
so hooray for the Nomads and their heavy load.

I travelled it once,
a fair time in the past
through Kimberly Country
with horizons so vast.
Remeberin’ Fitzroy and dry bed Halls Creek
lookin’ around
needs more than a week.

Fitzroy Crossing as ol’ timers will tell,
perhaps it was spawned from spit out of hell.
Bound by the Oscar and Napier Ranges
the ensuing years have rung many changes,
but still you will see, stingray, swordfish and shark –
from back in time when daytime was dark.

A Creek is a Tunnel
of dark hidden treasure,
perhaps a last remnant,
a lost barrier reef.

Make your way slowly
through stoney stilled waters
while colours cascade
to belie your belief.

Some three hundred million
of annual rotations,
was the time
when these structures
were forced into
relief.

Standing above an alluvial floodplain
are escarpments that rang with the voice of the law - when
Jandamarra shot his way into this country’s history.

Now
he is recorded in
Kimberley
folklore.

©.Rimeriter.
8/7/11.

Sounds like a good trip Rimeriter and I like the title - catchy as well as the different pictures your words paint here.

Only because I read it this way and I haven't checked syllables or any other technicalities, does this make it a little smoother

Fitzroy Crossing as any ol’ timers will tell,
looks like it was spawned from spit out of hell.


Just a thought for consideration since Fitzroy Crossing is home to an Aboriginal community and you make mention of Jandamarra would the use of dreamtime rather than day time here perhaps????? work in better

but still you will see, stingray, swordfish and shark –
from back in the days when the Dreamtime was dark.

Your to use or lose Typo s/b rememberin' /g

Cheers
Maureen

"Thank you" Maureen.

Please do not concern yourself with syllable counts or forced rhythm.

Daytime is most suitable because I am alluding to evolutionary time spans.
Which is irrelevant to aboriginal history in the context of my writing.

I tend, on some occasions, to drop end letters for effect, because rellos and others 'out there' still do so.
Memory reminds me of a young fella in primary school ( the hard knocks one ) who invariably used 'weren't' instead of wasn't or was not or were not.

"Ta" for your interest. But as you may recall from a previous posting, I write for pleasure, both mine and others.
So I implore you to not get bogged down in the rigidity of 'Award' writing when reading my stuff.
It seems some of it captured your imagination.
THAT - gives me satisfaction and pleasure.

"ooroo"
Jim.

It did Jim I like reading poetry like this that has a bit of a twist or a story line attached to it, a little snippet of local info that people can glean from others words - our history is so rich I don't know why we don't write more about it

Mate when I manage to write some award winning stuff myself I might get ' bogged down' but at the moment that ain't happening

G'day Jim,
I'll be travellin' the tarred bit of the Tanami on Monday, then a bit of the not tarred bit and another 160 klicks of pretty average sort of track to the nor' west of Yuendamu (Nyirripi) I believe there was talk a few years ago of sticking some tar on it but the government wanted the mining companies to subsidise the project, it was reported that the mines agreed originally then the government reniged and so on! They are doing a few bits and pieces each year but at this stage there is about 250km done including the first 150km of beef road that already existed......(the beef roads are a single strip of tar, you have to know the ett...you have to know the etty..... you have to know the rules when driving on them, sadly many of the tourists don't!... ) The Tanami is a link to WA via Halls Creek but the main thing is acces to the Tanami and Granites gold mines. I have done the whole trip up and back once, about 17 years ago, I guess things have changed a bit since then, I often do the first 300Km from this end though. That bloke who did it in a wheelchair last year must have some bal...courage hey?

Or yeah, I forgot to mention, I don't mind your poems technically correct or not!..

"Thanks again", Maureen.


Ross, she sure is great bloody country.

Which reminds me, I put this one together back around 1998 -

this Bloody Country.

I love this bloody country.
I've got 'er in me veins,
'er trials, 'er tribulations,
'er sorrows, aches, 'er pains.

I'm doin' a Valentines reading next week.
I reckon this one will qualify !!

Jim.

G'day Ross,

Are ya there yet ?
Jim.

G'day Jim,
Yeah, been out and done that lot, 40+ odd degrees again, not too sure what gets into a bloke going to work in the desert when it is that hot!
Headin' north next week, out into the Davenport Ranges, gold country, place called Canteen Creek, looks like raining out there all week next week so I might not be getting in yet!

Small Town -
• Big Past.
•
Fitzroy Crossing ,
as ol’ timers will tell, perhaps it was spawned from spit out of hell,
bound by the Oscar and Napier Ranges the ensuing years have rung many changes.
•
But still you will see, stingray, swordfish and shark - from back in time when daytime was dark.
•
• Now forward in time, to Jandamara, the outlaw.
Pigeon his white name but he knew the score.
•
• Many the time,troopers followed his gang; they noisily searched while the ranges they rang.
•
So it was that the founder, of that old shanty pub,
played a hand in his capture and here is the rub.
•
• When the Fitzroy flowed fast,
• well no one could cross, the low level ford - because the river was boss.
•
• In the
• ‘big wet’
• a flying fox was the way, to go over that river, but only by day.
•
• Down the road from the Inn
• is Pioneer Cemetery, where a prospector
• James Lenn, is buried therein.
•
• So from a small start, a big reputation has grown.
• Nearby Fitzroy Crossing, even Jandamara may moan
• through mountains and gorges
• where once he could roam
• in safety - in his land
• that he always called home.

(c).Rimeriter. 2005.


Do you happen to carry a little camera with ya ?