The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Discussion of any bush poetry topic.
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Shelley Hansen
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Shelley Hansen » Fri Aug 23, 2019 11:58 am

Hi Gary

Modified hat looks good - definitely suitable for the period. Not too flash but still pretty, as befits a girl of her social standing. Bill was painfully aware he was aiming above his station in life when courting Doreen, the shopkeeper's daughter forced to earn her own living when her father died with his insurance unpaid.

I like the daisies - as you say, a wayside flower easily obtained or fashioned from silk herself. Another option for floral decoration in your display would be violets - which feature in "Washing Day" from "Doreen", sequel to "The Sentimental Bloke", published in 2017.

The little gipsy vi'lits, they wus peepin' thro' the green
As she come walkin' in the grass, me little wife, Doreen.
The sun shone on the sassafras, where thrushes sang a bar.
The 'ope an' worry uv our lives wus yellin' fer 'is Mar.
I watched 'er comin' down the green, the sun was on her 'air -
Jist the woman that I marri'd, when me luck wus 'eadin' fair.


Can you beat that? Now that really IS Aussie culture at its best!!

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."
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Gary Harding
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Wed Aug 28, 2019 8:18 am

That is terrific Shelley!!! what a great and relevant Dennis quote!

..........

I hope that there are other ABPA members who are also big admirers of Edward Harrington?? Some of his work is ideal for reciting.

His exhibit is large and took quite a while to prepare. The focus is his fun poems. It is all pretty impressive.

Here is Edward Harrington in reflective mood... (see photo)

The narrow bigot or purse-proud fool, he treated with scant respect,
Nor judged a man by his wealth or rank, or even his intellect.
For too much learning like too much light may sometimes blind the eyes,
And the wisest man is at times a fool - and the fool is sometimes wise.

"Ashes to ashes and dust to dust", sadly we turned away
For it's little the wisest know of death, we can only hope and pray.
But if honour and truth are just empty words and love but an idle theme,
Then death is the close of a sordid farce - the end of an evil dream.


(ref. As well as The Lawsonian of Sept 1985 pp 7-8.. see also "The Lawsonian" of November, 1989 pp 1-4 and April 1993 pp. 5-6. Copies of these other mags I do not think that I have... only the one attached. The original poem was likely in Bohemia too, of the Bread and Cheese Club)

"The Lawsonian" being the magazine of The Henry Lawson Memorial and Literary Society.

Edward greatly admired Dr. John Flynn (of the Inland) and wrote a tribute poem to him which was then produced on velum and presented to the Memorial Church. (now sadly the velum is lost). I also have a book autographed by John Flynn.

I have been very involved in that historic story.... replacing the caligraphy transcription...and this on-going Project I may describe later on. There will be a display dedicated to this project too because it is very Australian, and shows what can and should be done to preserve such literary treasures.

I have to say that sometimes it is all a bit overwhelming.... climbing Mt. Everest... but getting closer to the top each day.

With only a team of Two.. and an ever-diminishing bank account!
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Shelley Hansen » Sat Aug 31, 2019 3:26 pm

I'm not overly familiar with Edward Harrington, Gary - although I do know "The Bushrangers" which we had at school.

Such a treasure trove out there!
Shelley Hansen
Lady of Lines
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"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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Gary Harding
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Sat Aug 31, 2019 7:57 pm

Yes Shelley, there are many excellent traditional bush poets and at last count I have accumulated thirty-eight of significant merit. Many are obscure... but that will change.

I intend that people coming in to the proposed Cultural Centre may say "Oh well, poetry is not really my thing but.. etc" and then come out saying "Oh Wow, I did not know about that! It was fantastic!!"

This proposed Cultural Centre will move outside "the norm" and set new and extremely high standards in the field of effective presentation of material.

This brilliant, creative and flexible approach, incorporating historical perspectives, will make Bush Balladry the Main Course on the Australian Cultural Experience Menu!

This literary outcome is way overdue ... and those Australian poets, and the Australian public, surely deserve nothing less?

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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Sun Sep 08, 2019 10:36 am

One important aspect of Australian Culture is its architectural history.

Houses or buildings that are distinctly Australian. They can help to set the scene for the time in history when some notable bush poets were writing.

From my Collection..... here is a very precise replica of a Queenslander house. This large 1/10th scale model was fabricated in Maryborough in 1935 and I have its full provenance. Many of these Queenslander houses were built during the latter half of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries

It is remarkable in its attention to fine detail. The windows slide open and have latches to keep them open. All doors pivot on mini-hinges and the kitchen even has linoleum on the floor. There is a low voltage torch-globe internal lighting system but I will replace that.

People who see this replica say it is absolutely incredible and walk away shaking their heads in amazement.
It will be housed under a perspex cover and have specialised external mini-lighting to optimize its appearance... with a few small enhancements still to be done such as a lawn instead of base boards.

Large information wall-posters describing such beautiful Queenslanders will feature in this display.

I wonder if any ABPA members have personal connections with old Queenslander houses?

Not sure where I will find the time to do all this as the number and scope of tasks keeps expanding exponentially !! :)

However I hope that this sort of material is interesting to read.
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Shelley Hansen
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Shelley Hansen » Mon Sep 09, 2019 6:20 pm

Wow! She's a beauty, Gary! I guess you could say I have two personal connections to Queenslander houses - my grandfather was a timber cutter and much of the milled product was used in building them. My husband Rod has been a painting contractor for over 50 years - so as you can imagine, he has worked on many!

There is also my poem "Song of the Queenslander" which is in my book, available as a presentation card, and also in a range of merchandise in collaboration with Jackie Williams of Jackalina Designs. Here's a link to the collection on my website: http://www.shelleyhansen.com/67/queenslander-collection

I'm not sure if I've already posted the poem in the ABPA Members Poetry section - but I will do so anyway so you can have a read, if you haven't already.

Definitely one of Queensland's great icons - but sometimes a "money pit" to own and maintain!!

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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Gary Harding
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Wed Sep 11, 2019 3:45 pm

That's great Shelley!
Your merchandise looks really good and deserves to go well!! I can imagine the work that must have gone into doing your designs as well as getting them actually made, but an exciting end result! You have certainly featured The Old Queenslander! (The maker of the model house in 1935 was Mr. R. Elworthy of Baddow, a builder.)

..........

Here is the old school desk that is going to be used to highlight all the Old Bush School poems. It has come back from The Men's Shed after having had a few minor repairs, like re-dowelling the sides to the base. It is now solid and can be sat upon with safety.

The items on it are :

1. The very first edition of the Queensland School Reader, published in 1914. Rare.

2. A genuine old, school-slate and slate-pencil

3. The book With Its Hat About Its Ears. Recollections of the bush school. Obviously its title comes from the first lines in John O'Brien's poem published in Around The Boree Log.

'Tis a queer, old battered landmark that belongs to other years;
With the dog-leg fence around it, and its hat about its ears.
And the cow-bell in the gum-tree, and the bucket on the stool,
There's a motley host of memories round that old bush school-



Am still looking around for more old schoolroom stuff.
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Shelley Hansen » Fri Sep 20, 2019 11:53 am

Thanks Gary. I can't take credit for the graphic design - that was all done by Jacky Williams of Jackalina Designs. She is a local and has her range of merchandise at Thursday markets in Maryborough and also at the Artisan Shop at the Urangan Marina at Hervey Bay. She has done a lovely job of the design and the production.

Love the school memorabilia! I have a slate (and pencil) from my school days, wooden framed. Of course that was the 60s - quite modern, in fact! I also have my mother-in-law's Queensland School Reader from the 1920s, plus several books issued to my mother during her school years in the early 1930s. Treasured items!

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."
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Mon Sep 23, 2019 7:34 pm

I agree Shelley,

I think an exhibition cannot be all books and poems. It needs other things to lift it up, so that everyone finds something of interest.
People are so kind. Today I received a donation to the Exhibition of a beautiful set of six Banjo Paterson painted plates with the authenticity certificate from the limited release of the Moliver Collection. Not that valuable in money terms, but as it was a treasured possession of the gentleman's late wife it was a very moving experience for me.
.............................

I mentioned that I had managed to transcribe an original letter written by Banjo Paterson, including working out some difficult words.
In this letter dated 16th March 1900, Banjo describes how, along with two other war correspondents they had "guided" the mayor of Bloemfontein out to meet Fieldmarshall Lord Roberts VC in order for the mayor to surrender the city.

Banjo said in his letter "It was a great ceremony".

I possess a scarce single page taken from Khaki in South Africa 1900 where this surrender ceremony is described and drawn.
It is an original document and not a copy (i.e 120 years old). It is attached.

It may have been the preferred protocol to have non-military men escorting the Mayor and his fellow civilians, rather than an armed military escort... and it seems Banjo and a couple of his fellow correspondents were quite happy to oblige.

As far as I can see and I may be wrong, the fact that Banjo performed this significant duty has not been revealed previously.
It is an ABPA exclusive. So if you are at a party and someone asks you if you happen to know who escorted the mayor of Bloemfontein out to surrender the town... well... you can impress them!

I am anticipating that this story will be presented spectacularly on a 36" x 48" board (big) and the artwork for it is now completed.
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Maureen K Clifford » Tue Sep 24, 2019 11:41 am

What an impressive exhibit this will make Gary - you should be so proud of yourself, your dedication is wonderful and I am sure anyone who sees this when it is up and running will be blown away by it.
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