ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Old John
(c) 2012 Manfred Vijars

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

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

Never really got the credit he deserved, did he, Mannie? Amazing guy. Thanks for this.

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).

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....

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

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

Heather

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



Bob

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

That's really good Manfred. It does deserve much more than bein' pinched for an anthology...regardless of that bitter-sweet acknowledgement...