ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

A wet Far North arvo
(c) M. Pattie


Thunder rumbles, half past two
with way too many things to do;
pressure-clean the concrete floor,
de-frost the freezer, fix the door.

Switch the whole computer off,
save tadpoles from the horse’s trough.
Bin the sixteen frozen toads,
check internet for flooded roads.

Sort out CD’s – A to Z;
get stuck at G, play Grateful Dead.
Prune the straggly Bangkok Rose,
unkink the kinks in kinky hose.

Drag the indoor plants outside;
(that’s sure to make the storm clouds hide.)
Pollinate the pumpkins; pert,
then pull the weeds and turn the dirt.

Pick pineapples – paw paw soon,
plant sweet-corn by the waxing moon.
Spray the snake weed (when it’s dry)
curse ALP and Anna Bligh.

Shave the donkey, slap the quoll,
then practice lines for Irish role.
Feed the tadpoles, watch’em grow
keep one eye on that monsoon low.

Brush-cut driveway guinea-grass,
tell Missus I still like her ar . . . tistic flair
Unplug phone as lightning nears,
keep fluids up with ice-cold beers.

Watch my Christmas DVD
Ooops! Lightning struck the old TV.
Tune the Banjo, fix the bridge
then feed the dogs: clean out the fridge.

Change the washer in the tap,
out-psyche the kids at games of Snap.
Grease the nipples on the winch
and check the rain gauge . . . just an inch.


Check for scrub-tick; both the dogs,
then check the tadpoles – toads or frogs?
Free the frogs and freeze the toads
Then bin them by the bucket loads.

Over at the big Lagoon
bath kids beneath the crescent moon.
Feed the neighbours porky pigs
then cut shallots and fennel sprigs.

Bake the salmon, chill the wine,
with kids in bed by half-past nine.
Breathe the humid air so sweet
as thunder cracks a lightning sheet.

Light a candle; power goes
(just pray them baby toads have froze!)
Watch the storm light up the night
a’ glow from too much Classic White

Squeeze the missus, score a smile,
sit quiet and content a while.
A cuddle here . . . a nuzzle there
a nice grasp of ‘artistic flair’.

Excellent work ol mate, and accurate to boot!
Mick

So many things to do Marty and so little time! Loved it. I can see that you are an art lover!

Heather

Ah! yes! mate, gotta love it up here.

Chuckle chuckle
We’re coming to Qld in April do ya think it would be safe to go as far as Cook Town?

TTFN

Always think that a woman is lucky indeed if her husband loves her ar-tistic flair and is also proud enough of it to share it with the world in his poetry. That's almost as good as the Mona Lisa - imartylized.

Good fun - much enjoyed

Cheers

Maureen

Marty,
And they say Australian men don't know anything about romance! You could give lessions by the sound of it.
I'm sitting here grinning. My old man gave me a compliment once. (He used to drink back then) He said I was "the most competent women he had even met".

Love the poem. Not too formal and, as we have come to expect from 'youse bushies', just perfectly understated.

A great piece Marty.
The flow faltered for me on the 5th stanza "curse ALP and Anna Bligh."
... maybe this could flow a little better - "cursing Labor's Anna Bligh"?

Love the picture you've painted.

Joe.

Thanks all.

Cheers, Marty

G'day Marty;


Da Da dada Dum dum dum.

Mate, your poetry is so much fun.


Enjoyable, mate.


John