Old John

ABPA Financial members can post their Bush Poetry here ...
All Forum Visitors can view but only Financial ABPA Members can post and reply.
Post Reply
manfredvijars

Old John

Post by manfredvijars » Thu Dec 06, 2012 1:56 pm

Old John
(c) 2012 Manfred Vijars
Last edited by manfredvijars on Thu Jun 09, 2016 12:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
Top
User avatar
Maureen K Clifford
Posts: 8156
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2010 10:31 am
Location: Ipswich - Paul Pisasale country and home of the Ipswich Poetry Feast
Contact:
Contact Maureen K Clifford

Re: Old John

Post by Maureen K Clifford » Thu Dec 06, 2012 2:43 pm

WOW - Love it - oh Mannie that is a story and a half with the lot, courage, sadness, adventure, pain and at the end of the day not really a happy ending either. Poor John, squirreled away back to England but the heartache the man must have suffered with Australians turning their backs on him in his hour of need. Tears for Polly and the pups :cry:

If history had only been taught like this when I was a kid

I am overawed by this poem - goes straight into my keepers file.

Cheers

Maureen
Check out The Scribbly Bark Poets blog site here -
http://scribblybarkpoetry.blogspot.com.au/


I may not always succeed in making a difference, but I will go to my grave knowing I at least tried.
Top
User avatar
Stephen Whiteside
Posts: 3784
Joined: Sat Nov 27, 2010 1:07 pm
Contact:
Contact Stephen Whiteside

Re: Old John

Post by Stephen Whiteside » Thu Dec 06, 2012 5:48 pm

Never really got the credit he deserved, did he, Mannie? Amazing guy. Thanks for this.
Stephen Whiteside, Australian Poet and Writer
http://www.stephenwhiteside.com.au
Top
manfredvijars

Re: Old John

Post by manfredvijars » Thu Dec 06, 2012 6:35 pm

Thanks Mausie, that's very kind.
No Stephen, he didn't. Explorers in the day were lucky to travel up to three kilometres a day with all the stock, need for feed and water. Conversely, Stuart would travel up to SIXTY kilometres a day with a string of pack-horses. He also had an uncanny knack for finding water ... Probably Australia's greatest explorer (IMO).
Top
r.magnay
Posts: 1405
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2010 1:41 pm
Location: Port Lincoln SA

Re: Old John

Post by r.magnay » Thu Dec 06, 2012 6:40 pm

I used to know a bloke, Doug Stuart, he had the Marree pub and claimed he was a descendant of John McDouall, dunno about water but we never seemed to have any trouble finding beer.... 8-)
Ross
Top
manfredvijars

Re: Old John

Post by manfredvijars » Thu Dec 06, 2012 6:46 pm

.... and at least you didn't have to squeeze it through a hanky filled with mud ... :lol: :lol:
Top
Heather

Re: Old John

Post by Heather » Thu Dec 06, 2012 6:47 pm

I read a book about him last year. He was one tough cookie.

Heather :)
Top
User avatar
Bob Pacey
Moderator
Posts: 7479
Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2010 9:18 am
Location: Yeppoon

Re: Old John

Post by Bob Pacey » Thu Dec 06, 2012 8:11 pm

whats the book Heather I love that type of book got one called The explorers which I have read three times.



Bob
The purpose in life is to have fun.
After you grasp that everything else seems insignificant !!!
Top
Heather

Re: Old John

Post by Heather » Thu Dec 06, 2012 8:16 pm

Sorry I can't remember Bob. I got it from the library though so do one of your googles and I'm sure you'll find it.

H :)
Top
User avatar
Glenny Palmer
Posts: 1816
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2010 12:47 am

Re: Old John

Post by Glenny Palmer » Fri Dec 07, 2012 6:03 am

That's really good Manfred. It does deserve much more than bein' pinched for an anthology...regardless of that bitter-sweet acknowledgement... ;)
The purpose of my life is to serve as a warning to others.
Top
Post Reply

Return to “ABPA Members' Poetry”