ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

The Clearing Sale.


What am I bid, everything must be sold;
Deceased estate.

Lot No. 1. One carefully bound book of precious memories.
A fine lot, this.
It's no money for this treasure.
What am I bid.
Lot No. 2. One large crystal ball,
hand painted, rose coloured grand expectations.
Have a look, there's quality here,
Surely a lot of interest;
What am I bid.
Lot No. 3. Still in original box
golden opportunities, hall-marked 18 carat.
New condition, never used.
Could be yours to-day.
What am I bid.
Lot No. 4 One arts & crafts style bag of promises.
Some broken, sold as is.
Collectible surely.
What am I bid.
Lot no. 5. Miscellaneous shattered dreams.
With some work, a decorative lot.
A retro window perhaps.
What am I bid.
Lot No. 6. One pillow, Pure cotton, 5oo thread count.
Lots of age to this one,
Interesting patina of tear stains.
What am I bid.
Bid, bid, where's the bid, what am I bid.
Whose the bid, whose got a bid now.

Oh, I really, really like this, Neville. Definitely touched a very personal chord with me.

Cheers, Shelley

Sorry personal chord got sold in the first lot ?

Always sad seeing a persons treasures sold off and considered by many to be trash. Farm clearance sales always choked me up - there were always bargains a plenty but you were buying someone elses life and the next sale could well be your own. Very sad times for some people when it comes down to auctions and clearance sales.

You captured that feeling well IMO Neville in your poem - the pillow was especially poignant.

Thanks for the encouragement Shelley. personal chord is what poetry is about isn't it ?

Thanks Maureen. It's inevitable for all of us, what we have accumulated gets dispersed.


Never mind Bob , you have to cast your line where the fish are biting to catch anything.

Ooh, this is very poignant Neville and I really like it. You have put the feeling across in a clever way, and like many others I can certainly relate, especially as I've been having a 'cull' of stuff lately and therefore thinking about just this sort of thing. Amongst all these items, the old pillow with the 500 thread count and interesting patina of tear stains is particularly moving.

Thanks for the encouragement Catherine.

Hey Neville, this is a really great piece of writing.

For me, it highlighted, in a very interesting way, the lack of interest of others in one's life - the memories, the missed opportunities, the hopes and dreams.

In the end, they are only of value to you - be they fond recollections or a series of regrets.

Loved it, Neville.

Thanks Allan, great encouragement. You've got it.

Wow Neville, you keep writing pieces like this I could find myself visiting this part of the forum more frequently. Very thought provoking. Well done.

Sue