Piano Man

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Shelley Hansen
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Location: Maryborough, Queensland
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Piano Man

Post by Shelley Hansen » Thu Jul 06, 2017 8:27 pm

As we've seen from other poems posted on this site, Australia is full of wonderful characters, and one of the great pleasures of travelling is meeting them and hearing their stories.

In 1998 we met a piano tuner in Cobar, western NSW. We almost reconnected with him in 2006 when we discovered he had passed through Cobar just two weeks before us. In 2012 I wrote this poem about him, and it was highly commended in the Bryan Kelleher Award of that year.

Then in 2014, our third visit to Cobar brought no news of him, and we feared the worst.

However, through a mutual acquaintance we caught up again and I was able to send him my poem and arrange to visit - by then he was 90 years old and still tuning and restoring pianos. We visited his home on the northern NSW coast in late 2016. There, framed on his wall, was my poem. We had a wonderful morning and I discovered he also wrote poetry.

Sadly, this wonderful craftsman, Cyril Jones, passed away just two weeks after our visit.

PIANO MAN
(c) Shelley Hansen

It was just a small town, framed by hills red and brown
where our Outback Adventure had led,
and we thought that we might make a stop for the night
at a caravan park up ahead.
We’d no sooner turned in to escape from the din,
parked our camper beneath shady trees,
when a lively old man crawled right under our van
and said, “I used to own one of these!”

In the heartiest tones he said, “I’m Cyril Jones
and I travel all over this land,
and this town of Cobar is the best base by far –
come – I’ll show you and you’ll understand.”
So he forged on ahead till we came to a shed,
and he threw the door open with pride
as we stopped and we gazed (we were simply amazed)
at the treasures residing inside.

Pianolas in parts spoke at once of the arts
of a craftsman adept at his trade.
And for many a year, a distinguished career
right across this vast country he’d made.
He’d established his worth from Coffs Harbour to Perth –
a piano restorer of note;
he was often a guest at the stations out west –
didn’t matter how far or remote.

And he told us right there of his great love affair
with pianos. “I would be remiss
every once in a while”, added he with a smile,
“not to take on a project like this!”
And the task, we were told, was restoring an old
pianola – the third he had done
for a man of renown who resided in town.
Then he showed us how he had begun.

With the greatest of care he had sourced every spare
small component he had to replace.
And he said, “I’ve got tales of the strangest of sales,
buying bits that I’ve needed to trace.
I have made many trips to find leather for strips,
and it’s harder than ever before;
but the softest and best of the samples I test
comes from coats in the second-hand store!”

For my husband and me, it was easy to see
this man’s talent was something quite rare,
and the work he had done, which was second to none,
bore the hallmarks of love and of care.
I have often been sure a piano is more
than a jumble of black and white keys –
as he tightened each string, you could hear its voice sing,
carried out on the afternoon breeze.

He said, “Come if you can, and I’ll show you my van –
it’s more useful than modern-day stuff;
for it has to survive on the roads that I drive –
some of which are incredibly rough!”
And we had to applaud the old van he’d restored –
it was retro in colour and style –
quite a functional home for a man on the roam,
tough and durable – mile after mile!

Then he said, “I began to get all spick and span
and I’ve got to get finished real quick
to be right for the wife, or I’ll sure be in strife
when she visits (she’s just a young chick!)”
He’d established a store on the easternmost shore,
and he still had connections in Perth;
and he owned a big boat, which he maintained afloat
up the north, where he rented a berth.

He could not settle down, wouldn’t live in a town
for the call of the road was too strong.
An Australian son, if there ever was one!
This is where he will always belong.
But it pains me to say we’re approaching the day
when the travelling trades won’t survive.
Will they vanish at last to be lost in the past?
Or will we keep their legend alive?

Now the time has moved on, several seasons have gone,
and I wonder what’s happened to him.
Does he still hit the track to traverse the Outback?
Does he still have his vigour and vim?
I would like to suppose he will be one of those
who will travel the road to the end;
for I’ll never forget that grand day when we met
Cyril Jones – the piano’s best friend!
Shelley Hansen
Lady of Lines
http://www.shelleyhansen.com

"Look fer yer profits in the 'earts o' friends,
fer 'atin' never paid no dividends."
(CJ Dennis "The Mooch o' Life")

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David Campbell
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Re: Piano Man

Post by David Campbell » Fri Jul 07, 2017 12:59 pm

Hi Shelley

Good to read this one again. It's a great story, a fitting tribute to a truly remarkable Australian character.

Cheers
David

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Shelley Hansen
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Joined: Sun May 04, 2014 5:39 pm
Location: Maryborough, Queensland
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Re: Piano Man

Post by Shelley Hansen » Sat Jul 08, 2017 11:42 am

Thank you so much David. Yes, he was certainly a character, and told us many more stories on our most recent visit. I'm so pleased we were able to catch up with him again after so many years, not knowing it would be the last time.

He had just finished the restoration of a beautiful Ronisch salon grand piano - found in sad condition and covered in grey paint. The work of restoration had been painstaking, both inside and out - but there it was in all its original glory, sounding wonderful as he played it for us. What a craftsman!

Cheers
Shelley
Shelley Hansen
Lady of Lines
http://www.shelleyhansen.com

"Look fer yer profits in the 'earts o' friends,
fer 'atin' never paid no dividends."
(CJ Dennis "The Mooch o' Life")

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Brenda Joy
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Joined: Mon May 02, 2011 7:45 pm

Re: Piano Man

Post by Brenda Joy » Sat Jul 08, 2017 10:57 pm

Lovely poem. Great you could share this with him Shelley and build up some nice memories before he went travelling further afield.
Love
BJ
Sing HU to open your heart.

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Shelley Hansen
Posts: 2224
Joined: Sun May 04, 2014 5:39 pm
Location: Maryborough, Queensland
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Re: Piano Man

Post by Shelley Hansen » Mon Jul 10, 2017 2:30 pm

Thanks Brenda :D

Regards
Shelley
Shelley Hansen
Lady of Lines
http://www.shelleyhansen.com

"Look fer yer profits in the 'earts o' friends,
fer 'atin' never paid no dividends."
(CJ Dennis "The Mooch o' Life")

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