ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

The (Other) Bush Poets' Alphabet

© Stephen Whiteside 20.11.2012

(Sorry, Neville. I suspect you still won't be happy!)

"A" is for 'austrich', our own flightless bird.
"B": 'Blackened Billy' for well-written word.
"C" is for 'Corryong' - 'stripling' with horse.
"D" is for 'Dennis' - that's 'CJ', of course.

"E" is just 'e' - as in 'e-book', 'e-ink'.
"F" is for 'Facebook', so go check our link:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/62277760408/?fref=ts
"G" is for 'Gordon' - best known for his leap.
"H" for his 'horse', by the cliff-top so steep.

"I" for the 'itch' of the shearer. Not nice.
"J" - it's a 'jock' itch, to be quite precise.
"K" is for 'Kendall' - his bellbirds are sweet.
"L" is for 'Lawson', who tramped on his feet.

"M"'s for 'Murtoa'. They have a big shed.
"N" is for 'Nimbin' - get stoned off your head.
"O" is for 'opium' - smoked by Chinese.
"P" is for 'pine' - the most noxious of trees.

"Q" is for 'quoll' - they are fading away.
"R" is for 'rabbit', and they're here to stay!
"S" is for 'Souter', a forgotten poet.
"T" is for 'Tamworth'. (Well, wouldn't you know it!)

"U": 'upside down', which is how we all stand.
"V" is for 'vacant' - that's most of this land.
"W": the 'whispering' leaves of a gum.
"X" is for 'xerox' - a print of your bum!

"Y" is for 'yellow' - the sand at our rim.
"Z" is for 'Zara', whose bloke had a swim.
"Z"'s also for 'zero', and cold desert nights,
And now I have put all the letters to rights!

The things you learn, ay . . . didn't know about that Facebook page, and didn't know Murtoa has a big shed.

Can't wait for tomorrow morning's mark 3.

Cheers, Marty

Stephen you never fail to make me laugh. I'm wondering though, when the emu lost its place as our flightless bird...

Heather

Thanks, Heather. Yes, it's a bit odd, isn't it?

No promises, Marty!

That's better. ( just my opinion )

Better, eh? That's interesting - and nice to know!

If an ‘austrich’ is an emu,
a flamingo’s a hot doggie,
and a flying octopussy
is an eight-winged, duck-billed moggie!

(Has anyone else noticed that delving into Stephen’s fascinating world has a strange effect on your own?)

David

I'm getting there, I'm getting there...

Flaming dingo.

And duck-billed because it is flying?

(Sounds like you've got James Bond on your mind, David. Haven't we all?)

No, it's a reference to that famous Aussie mammal, the plat-billed duckypus. It lives in water, but lays its eggs in the pouch of the Hairy Nosed Echidna (which probably explains why it is nearly extinct).

Ah, now I understand.