Original pencil-written manuscript of "An Old Master"

Stephen Whiteside · Post by **Stephen Whiteside** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 6:08 pm

Post by **Shelley Hansen** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 6:13 pm

Fascinating stuff, Stephen! It's amazing how these things can lie around "undiscovered" for years and then pop up unexpectedly.

Thanks so much for sharing.

Cheers
Shelley

Stephen Whiteside · Post by **Stephen Whiteside** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 6:29 pm

Absolutely! Thanks, Shelley.

Neville Briggs · Post by **Neville Briggs** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 8:01 pm

Obviously an historic cultural artefact. It is very interesting that Dennis put a lot of effort into revision, we should keep that in mind when we admire how Dennis found just the right words. It takes effort

Stephen Whiteside · Post by **Stephen Whiteside** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 8:54 pm

True enough, Neville.

Catherine Lee · Post by **Catherine Lee** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 9:17 pm

Really interesting Stephen - thank you! And Neville, what you say is so true... 'Revise, revise, revise'.

David Campbell · Post by **David Campbell** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 9:26 pm

Although, in this word-processing age, when we can change things so easily, it's also interesting to see how much he didn't alter. Quite clearly, he had many lines fully formed in his mind as he wrote them. I wonder how many of us could produce such a relatively 'clean' hand-written version of a poem.

David

Post by **Shelley Hansen** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 9:37 pm

Not me, David, that's for sure. I have a working exercise book in which I jot my drafts. I'm afraid if it was "found" in an attic by Stephen, he would really be puzzled by the endless crossing-out and cryptic chicken-scratch!!! I think it would be destined for the recyling rather than the museum!!

I remember a stage play called "Banjo the Man" with Barry Crocker - it came to our Town Hall when I was first married (yes, many years ago). In the play some bloke (I think it was Breaker Morant, from memory) came up to Banjo at a bar and tried to quiz him about what poetry composition methods he used.

Banjo replied: "I use the waste paper method. When I have filled the bin with my botched attempts, I reckon what I've got is about as good as I'll get."

It might be apocryphal, but it's a great line!!

Cheers, Shelley

Stephen Whiteside · Post by **Stephen Whiteside** » Fri Nov 06, 2015 6:04 am

Thank you, Catherine.

Yes, that's a good point, David.

I think we can all relate to that, Shelley!

ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Original pencil-written manuscript of "An Old Master"

Original pencil-written manuscript of "An Old Master"

Re: Original pencil-written manuscript of "An Old Master"

Re: Original pencil-written manuscript of "An Old Master"

Re: Original pencil-written manuscript of "An Old Master"

Re: Original pencil-written manuscript of "An Old Master"

Re: Original pencil-written manuscript of "An Old Master"

Re: Original pencil-written manuscript of "An Old Master"

Re: Original pencil-written manuscript of "An Old Master"

Re: Original pencil-written manuscript of "An Old Master"