ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Just back for a few days after a trip to an old campsite of mine, a place I have always loved.
I was shocked to find a massive haul road carved out of the virgin bush about a kilometre from my camp.

I know it’s the price we pay for progress, but what an ugly sight, not only the road, but the heavy clearing on each side of the road leaving a horrible gash stretching as far as the eye can see. Similar roads are now crisscrossing the goldfields in every direction.
The noise once they start hauling can be heard for miles and it goes on nonstop 24 hours a day.

So I reckoned I should have a bit of a whinge - Terry

FAREWELL TO THE OLD CAMP
The whisper of a warming breeze drifts past the old campsite,
while silence brings a peacefulness that visits here each night.
A fading glow still paints the sky beyond the western track
and dusk has spread its hazy veil throughout the great outback.

The early stars now grace the sky already shining bright
and mulga trees in silhouette standout in fading light.
A bat that has begun to prowl wings quickly overhead,
To signal that the day is done and darkness lies ahead.

But soon this place will be no more and dust will tinge the sky
and peace will then be shattered as the massive trucks roar by.
A haul road carved through virgin bush has scarred this pristine place,
an ugly wound that will not heal; an absolute disgrace.

We sit around the fire each night and muse of times now past,
for thirty years we’ve called this home; this trip will be our last.
The noise will be quite deafening and dust will coat the trees,
that magic spell soon broken; disappearing on the breeze.

******
©T.E. Piggott May 2012

Terry
Thanks for that touching poem.
Val Wallace

Seen some of my favourite fishing spots go like that too Terry.


Houses right down to the lakes edge and pristene beaches that have been turned into roads just for easier access.


Hey mate I was thinking that the first two lines of the second last verse and the last two of the last could be used together then finish with the first to of the last verse and the last two of the second last verse. This seems to give a greater impact to me.

But soon this place will be no more and dust will tinge the sky
and peace will then be shattered as the massive trucks roar by.
The noise will be quite deafening and dust will coat the trees,
that magic spell soon broken; disappearing on the breeze.

We sit around the fire each night and muse of times now past,
for thirty years we’ve called this home; this trip will be our last.
A haul road carved through virgin bush has scarred this pristine place,
an ugly wound that will not heal; an absolute disgrace.

Just a suggestion ?

Bob

G/day Marty,
You're spot on, but try getting permission to do almost anything as a small operator and you'll be bogged down for years with environmental issues and native title. but somehow the big companies seem to have little trouble in getting permission to bash through a hundred miles of of mass destruction.

Thanks Val.

Hi Bob,
Yep that looks like it might to work.
If I decide to do a bit more to it I'll take that on board, this was really only a rush job this morning, you'll notice I have even rhymed overhead with ahead, which is probably a bit of a no no.
As I said I was just having a bit of a whinge mate, this spot is over 100 klms from the nearest town and has always been a special place for me, so peaceful and quiet.

Cheers Terry

G'day Terry, I know what you mean. You've seen the countryside around Singleton where the mining haul roads and the abyss of the open cut mines have devastated the place.


As far as I reckon, ahead and overhead are a rhyming pair. It may be a borderline case for sticklers, but I take the view that poetry is not about rules and fine technical definitions like that.

Lovely poem Terry. I remember a place I went as a kid for Christmas holidays - beautiful pristine bushland near the southern NSW coast - until one year the area was clear felled. It was one of the most devastating things I have ever seen and left a huge impression on an 11 year old. Another time a property near Kilmore had fully grown box gums cleared to grow grape vines! i first noticed it Christmas Day - the timing was obviously deliberate - less people around to complain! (and too late anyway).

Heather

A fine poem and I agree with Neville on rhyming rules, but then again I don't have any rules
I don't tend to go back to many of the places I once loved which is a bit of a shame I suppose but
I prefer to remember them as they were and maybe just write a poem to try to get that picture across
as you have done here.

G/day Neville,
Yes I well remember going through Singleton on my round-a-bout trip to Tamworth.
I guess it's worse in a way for people who are trapped more or less because it right near where the live;
short of leaving town there's no escape is there.

Thanks Heather,
Your right of course we all have seen special places devastated at one time or another,
I suppose the other side of the coin is that thousands of people are employed by the mining companies,
and if we're honest the country would be broke at the moment if not for them.
Mind you that's no excuse to come and spoil my favourite camp site is it?

G/day Dennis, thanks mate.
And welcome to the forum, you snuck in while I was away.
I haven't had much time to do any browsing since I returned but
did have a quick read of a couple of yours and enjoyed what I read.

Cheers Terry