ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

A quick reply from a city rhymer
Leonie Parker © 2012

I’m on my home computer and I’m smiling ear to ear,
seems I’ve upset the purists and I give a hearty cheer.
They’re worried that our rhyming verse is sneaking from the ‘bush’
as people from the city (just like me) give it a push.

Apparently the worst of it is that we made some page
of high awarded poetry. It fuels a purist’s rage,
but what are we supposed to do we happen to like rhyme
and maybe - dare I say it - it might be the city’s time.

I’m sorry if my poetry offends a rural soul,
but I live in the city so it’s out of my control.
I’ve never ploughed a paddock and I have no wish to try.
I simply write about the things that daily catch my eye.

And if by happenstance they catch a judge’s ‘bush’ eye too
then who are we to judge the judge, that’s what I’d ask of you.
Perhaps it’s time the rhyming ‘city’ folk all took a stand
‘cause after all there’s more of us than you in this vast land.

There really shouldn’t ever be a need for any fuss
because there’s surely room enough to spare for both of us,
no need for crying tears of blood the onslaught isn’t rife,
so as us townies like to say – “chill out, and get a life”.

Yeah good onya Leonie, I didn't realise you have no bush connections outside your poetry...sure sounds like you do!.....

Struth Jim!!....didn't take you long to hijack this thread!...

Just another City Rhymer.

As the other man indicates, diversification may well be the way of the future !!!
jim.

G/day Leonie,
As I said in the other thread I've long been an admirer of your poetry and haven't been backward in telling you so.
And as I also said I should have followed your advice and kept out of it.

By the way That's another good one.

Terry

Jim - if you post your poetry separately and not attached to someone else's thread you stand a better chance of people getting to see it and if it relates to that particular thread then make mention of it there but post it on its own.

The naughty corner will have your name on it soon - when Heather wakes up to it.

Hey Leonie - aren't we semi suburban bushies out here at Ippie??? Oh no hang on we're getting to big now our city boundaries are growing - fastest growing city in Queensland , but with a rich heritage Leonie.

Wan't a lend of a spoon?

Not bad for a quick poem Mate - you did good

Goodonya Jim, another city rhymer, join the club.

Hi Ross, it's not so surprising that you might think that I suppose. I lived most of my life in Brisbane or just outside it but Brisbane was like a big country town back when I was growing up. The suburb that I grew up in (Gaythorne) is now considered inner city and I couldn't afford to live there anymore even if I wanted to, but when I was a kid there was a dairy farm at the end of the road and farms all around. Most of the kids I went to school with came from farming families or from the Aboriginal mission home a couple of streets away. The house I grew up in is long gone, replaced (as are most of the neighbours) by blocks of units.

Hi Terry it's all good mate. The poem is just what it is, not a dig at anyone in particular just an answer to 'that' poem. We all have our own ideas about what constitutes a 'bush' poem and to be honest I don't really consider myself strictly 'bush' anyway. I'm just grateful that my poems are appreciated, and yes you have always said that to me, and I thank you for that.

G'day Maureen, thank you for your help in providing the spoon. Boy oh boy, aren't we growing at an alarming rate, oh and btw I have it on good authority that we don't call it Ippie these days, it is now The Switch. Psst, it's still Ippie to me, The Switch sounds like we want to swap places with someone.

Edited to fix typo... dairy farm not diary farm. Sometimes I wish I could draw. I had this mental picture of cows with bodies that are open books.

...yeah well, as far as I am concerned you started off a bushie, so a bushie you will remain!...anyway, I don't know that it is that important where you come from, where you live now or where you have been, we have seen all sorts of definitions of bush poetry, probably most of them valid, we continually see all sorts of claims as to who is a bushie and who isn't, why they are or are not, deep down we all know who we really are and that is what counts the most I reckon. You just keep posting your bloody good reading poetry.....we will decide whether we determine it as bush or city....and who cares anyway?....

Sorry I might have missed something here are we having some trouble working out what is bush poetry or not ???


You keep at it Leonie and remember all cities started out as country towns at some stage.


Yep write about the things that happen in our every day life now if thats in the city country or the bush so be it.


Cheers Bob

Oh yeah Jim Maureen is right you will be in trouble again if you keep hijacking others treads so it is best to put your comment up and say you will post your poem seperatly.

The Purple Moderator will get you or worse still Manfred will create a MOVEMENT.


Bob