The (Other) Bush Poets' Alphabet

[Stephen Whiteside]

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!

[warooa]

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

[Heather]

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

Heather

[Stephen Whiteside]

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

No promises, Marty!

[Neville Briggs]

That's better. ( just my opinion )

[Stephen Whiteside]

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

[David Campbell]

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

[Stephen Whiteside]

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?)

[David Campbell]

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).

[Stephen Whiteside]

Ah, now I understand.