ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

FRAMED


“I was framed” he said “Framed! You hear” though none here heard his cry.
Been laid to rest long years ago, and time has passed him by.
One could blame culture as it stands for people of today
watch everything on video or digital they say.
The books of old are seldom sought for none now have the time
to sit and take a step back to review an ancient crime.
An image with transparent edge was mounted on a reel,
we watched in smoky darkness and we saw those blokes ordeal.

It ‘s food for thought though isn’t it? For wars it seems won’t end.
Countries don’t learn a lesson be they enemies or friend.
The loss of life goes on and on – seems such a waste to me
and I am oft amazed that we don’t learn from history.
But framed he was in World War One and two and Vietnam,
Korea, Falklands, and The Gulf and now Afghanistan.
An image captured in a frame, a fleeting part of time
a photograph in sepia. Some may be yours - some mine.


Maureen Clifford © 04/13

I always feel sad when browsing through antique shops - to see quite often, old photographs in ornate frames of serviceman who time and family have forgotten. They are in the main un-named. People do buy them, but not for the picture but for the frame which they reuse to reframe their own artwork - the photographs often discarded in their rubbish bins.

This photo is one of a bloke that was found behind the walls when a lady was renovating her house - presumably at some time it had slipped to the floor and under the skirting board and forgotten. He was important to someone. Someone's son, husband, lover, brother etc etc. The lady who found him has I believed kept him.

He is though just one of many .

Yes it is sad Maureen. Liked the way you used framed .
Wazza

Good one Maureen. Can't let things slip through the cracks like that.
Mal

I feel sad browsing through antique shops Maureen, 'cause I see things that were commonplace items when I was young. The antique checking the antiques .

That's a pity the a wonderful photo like that has lost its identity. Who knows, he might even be the bloke who lies as the unknown Australian soldier.

Just noticed coincidentally that Irene has an old diggers photo up on her facebook page that just fits the above scenario, although in this case the people concerned are trying to find out who he may be.

I am a bit addicted to purchasing from these shops the old hand embroidered doilies and table cloths etc. It always seems to me such a waste that some woman has spent hours of her time lovingly and beautifully crafting these items and they are now rejected by later generations of family and find their way to these shops. They can be used to decorate cushions, some are beautiful enough to frame - anything to preserve an art that is in the main dying.

Cheers

Maureen