Emily Bulcock - Maryborough's Forgotten Poetess
Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2022 5:04 pm
Greetings All -
This week's local newspaper The Maryborough Sun carried a fascinating article about poet Emily Bulcock (nee Palmer) (1877-1969). She was born in my home town of Maryborough, in the suburb where I currently live - Tinana. She was the elder sister of Australian poet Vance Palmer (1885-1959). I remember his poems The Pathfinders and A Farmer Remembers the Somme from Call of the Gums, our high school poetry anthology of the late 1960s. During her lifetime Emily was regarded as Queensland's unofficial poetess laureate, and was awarded an OBE for services to literature in 1964.
I was interested in a particular aspect of this article, written by Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour. He speculates on why Emily's work has been largely forgotten, whereas Mary Poppins author PL Travers (also born in Maryborough) is famous. This is what he says ...
"Why do we know so much about one and not the other? In terms of contemporary popular culture, a poet will obviously struggle to see their work last in the way a writer whose work can be adapted by Walt Disney can. With changes in technology and lifestyle we seem to have neither the attention span nor the inclination to delve into poetry."
He goes on to state ... "It is lamentable that the identity of such a great writer has slipped from our collective memory, but for anyone who values the life of the mind, the contemplation of the world around us and the beauty of language; the poetry of Emily Bulcock is there to be discovered and enjoyed."
How true! It seems that the passing of time has not changed the challenges that we poets face!
Several of Emily's poems and a short biography can be read on this website: https://www.oldqldpoetry.com/emily-bulcock
I've attached a scan of the article. You can enlarge it by clicking on the image, but it is still not very easy to read. If anyone would like a copy, send me a private message through the Forum with your email address.
Gary Harding - this may be of interest to you.
Cheers
Shelley
This week's local newspaper The Maryborough Sun carried a fascinating article about poet Emily Bulcock (nee Palmer) (1877-1969). She was born in my home town of Maryborough, in the suburb where I currently live - Tinana. She was the elder sister of Australian poet Vance Palmer (1885-1959). I remember his poems The Pathfinders and A Farmer Remembers the Somme from Call of the Gums, our high school poetry anthology of the late 1960s. During her lifetime Emily was regarded as Queensland's unofficial poetess laureate, and was awarded an OBE for services to literature in 1964.
I was interested in a particular aspect of this article, written by Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour. He speculates on why Emily's work has been largely forgotten, whereas Mary Poppins author PL Travers (also born in Maryborough) is famous. This is what he says ...
"Why do we know so much about one and not the other? In terms of contemporary popular culture, a poet will obviously struggle to see their work last in the way a writer whose work can be adapted by Walt Disney can. With changes in technology and lifestyle we seem to have neither the attention span nor the inclination to delve into poetry."
He goes on to state ... "It is lamentable that the identity of such a great writer has slipped from our collective memory, but for anyone who values the life of the mind, the contemplation of the world around us and the beauty of language; the poetry of Emily Bulcock is there to be discovered and enjoyed."
How true! It seems that the passing of time has not changed the challenges that we poets face!
Several of Emily's poems and a short biography can be read on this website: https://www.oldqldpoetry.com/emily-bulcock
I've attached a scan of the article. You can enlarge it by clicking on the image, but it is still not very easy to read. If anyone would like a copy, send me a private message through the Forum with your email address.
Gary Harding - this may be of interest to you.
Cheers
Shelley