ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

It’s a long time since I have posted anything here but here’s a short one about a bunch of oldies who gather daily at a little coffee shop nearby.



THE OCTOGENARIANS

They gather there six times a week, they’re old and grey, almost antique,
and they have seen the world and know the score, to answers you may seek.
They study all the printed news and freely give their learned views,
and frown at those who question any of their well thought out critique

For wisdom drips from every word although at times their facts seem blurred,
but still insist they have it right, and who are we to disagree.
They tolerate the odd blow in, young whippersnappers, even kin,
but still the pecking order is observed the way it needs to be.

They lubricate their inner parts to help kickstart their ancient hearts,
then gather at their chosen spot to dissect recent world events.
Good coffee is their favoured brew for which they sometimes have to queue,
before they settle down once more to savage certain news segments.

©T.E. Piggott

That's it Terry, we have the same sort of gatherings our way ( that is we used to, till you know what ) I can't be too critical of the ancient or antique ones since I am well into being one myself

Hi Neville
I think a lot of are or nearing that age.
This group have been going non stop again since the cafe was allowed to serve take away again,
but they now sit or stand along a wall in the tiny mall of this very small shopping center.
This prompted another poem about them which I call 'WALLFLOWERS', I gave them copies of the poem, they loved it.

Cheers Terry

Good one, Terry!

I'm glad there are people like your octogenarians who obviously know everything - because that saves me the trouble of having to do it!!

Hi Shelley

I like the way they support each other.
But also, how they braved the carona virus to help support their coffee shop.
Because the owner has three young children and needed all the support he could get.

Terry

Excellent observation of the coffee shop crowd there Terry, and I laughed at Shelley's comment My own bunch of oldies who are coffee aficionados have been supporting our local coffee brewery but having take away coffee in the car park outside their establishment when we get to meet. Very thankful that they can now allow us inside as sitting on the kerb wasn't a good look and getting up was increasingly difficult and inelegant.

The oldest member of the group is a 95 year old lady,
who potters down each day in her GOFA (is that how you spell it?)
Most of the others are in their eighties with the odd young whippersnapper in their seventies.
It seems to have become an important part of their day - I dips me lid to them.