ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

This is one I prepared earlier but it didn't fly at the Ipswich Poetry Feast The dates are factual and not part of the rhyming scheme


Timeline Ipswich – Going with the flow


1826 -The tidal Bremer River flowed in eighteen twenty six
when Captain Patrick Logan sailed it crewed by some convicts
who he had charge of, down in Brisbane. He sought places new
and thought to name this place Limestone – but it’s Ipswich to you.


1852 -The languid Bremer River flowed when Father came to town.
William McGinty, Irish priest, wore his parishioners down
until a rude slab church was built with dimensions quite small
in eighteen fifty two the first St Marys welcomed all.

1865 -The lazy Bremer River flowed the day that first train steamed
from Ipswich to Bigge’s camp in sixty five minutes. It seemed
that all were pleased with that result, a smooth and easy ride
at thirty miles per hour though smuts soiled passengers inside.

1893 – The Bremer River swirled and swept. Black February floods.
As Cyclone Buninyong hovered, the Bremer turned to mud.
The lives of seven men were lost at Eclipse colliery.
A roof collapsed, flood waters surged and none trapped could get free.


1922 - The ancient Bremer River slid serpent like through the lands
of Jagera people. Neville Bonner one of them. He stands
today as a role model , just see what he achieved
for his people and country. As a statesman he’s perceived.

1972 - The muddy Bremer river flowed the day Box Flat went down.
A sleepy lazy river that runs through the heart of town.
And seventeen men died that day – they still rest where they fell.
The year of seventy two is one of which we do still tell.

1974 - The raging Bremer River rose in flood in seventy four.
She burst her banks and inundated parts of town and more.
Her peak was measured and ‘twas more than twenty metres high.
She lapped the David Trumpy bridge, flooding all she did spy.


1985 - The sleepy Bremer River flowed the night Reid’s store caught fire.
Despite the firemen’s best efforts, they could not quell flames ire.
They say that was the night that Ipswich CBD lost heart.
Four people charged with arson – fools who caused the fire to start.

2011 – The rising Bremer River flooded Ipswich town again
but Grantham suffered loss immense – for they lost lives. And then
as Ipswich folk evacuated from this hissy fit
the Bremer painted Ipswich brown – but Ipswich folk don’t quit.

2012 - And Ipswich is what Ipswich is, no frills or furbelows.
She’s done the hard yards over time, holds wealth in seams below
the ground; and today she still stands proudly, tenaciously
beside the Bremer River both linked till eternity.

Maureen Clifford © 07/12

Hmm interesting way of doing a poem Maureen. Listing dates and events linked to the river. It's a difficult project I think. There is the risk of getting to sound like entries in an almanac or something like that.

Good on you for trying it out.

I wanted to try something different hoping that perhaps it might snag the faces of Ipswich section of the contest - which it didn't because Leonie's did But I was happy to write it anyway because it was very interesting trying to put Ipswich history into a rhyming format - I could have made it much longer but thought it would start to smack of a history lesson and bore the pants of the judges. What did I know - one of the poems submitted was 9 pages long

Yeah I saw that one Maureen bit over the top I reckon


Bob