ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Apologies, Maureen, that I neglected to post homework in response to the last set of prompts. However, I am attempting to make amends with an early posting this time around (though not early enough to beat you!!) This poem describes something we've been through on a number of occasions during our travels. I remember one particularly memorable night at Cape le Grand in WA. It was wild, and we discovered in the morning that a 100 year old pub in a nearby town had partially blown down!

STORM
(c) Shelley Hansen 10/8/19

We pulled up at the Racecourse with our caravan that night -
hot showers, twenty dollars - sounded good!
The promise of a winter storm lay out beyond the Bight
and swathed the dark horizon like a hood.

The Coast Road trip was one we'd planned - a Southern great escape
away from all the rat race and the din.
We navigated winding roads that stretched around the Cape
until we felt the weather closing in.

We battened down the hatches as the wind began to wail -
and dancing trees gyrated to its song.
The sharp end of the raindrops on the windows felt like hail
as with a touch of vengeance, gusts blew strong.

But nothing lasts forever, and the morning light would bring
a freshly laundered landscape, rinsed with rain.
As tiny bird survivors opened up their throats to sing,
the open road was calling us again.

I'm still gobsmacked at the $20 showers Travelling out on the open road is a wonderful experience - so many different concepts encompassed in the journey, makes us realize what a truly diverse and unique country we live in. You did a good job weaving the prompts into the story - well done you. I like it a lot

Thanks Maureen, and you are right about the open road!

I probably should elaborate - a lot of showgrounds , clubs etc, offer onsite camping and caravan sites for about $20 a night, so I guess the money is for more than the hot shower at their amenities block!

Actually your very own Ipswich showgrounds do this all year round.

Cheers
Shelley

And dancing trees gyrated to its song - lovely, Shelley... As always, you paint a wonderful picture so that I feel as if I'm there. I too like this poem a lot x

Thanks for defining the $20 payment Shelley I feel a lot better now

Very good Shelley, you have made a neat and concise little yarn that evokes the adventure of the grey nomads.

Thanks Maureen, Catherine and Neville

Nicely written with a good story, - so important I reckon.
Lovely poem.

Terry

Thanks Terry - you’d definitely relate to the “open road”!