ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Hi Maureen,
Just back from the bush and saw the topic suggestions but as it runs out today I thought I'd fudge.This poem
was written for a homework topic put up by Zondrae (I Think) back in 2009. I've fiddled a bit with it since then.

I was looking through my poem list and thought what the heck I'll post it here.

Regards Terry


THE LAST ROSE OF SUMMER

She stood there in the garden, tears were rolling down her cheek,
while thinking of what lay in store; the future looked so bleak.
Away from prying eyes, emotions finally broke free,
and bubbled to the surface as her inhibitions flee.

The summer sun had waned; the gardens beauty in decline,
the remnants now looked skywards hoping for the sun to shine.
A scraggy rose bush held a bud the last one in the plot,
she doubted it would ever bloom; this last one of the lot.

The garden was her refuge hidden from her life outside,
she thought of bridges she had burnt and of her stupid pride.
She longed to call her mother and to see again her dad,
recalling her stupidity and all the fights they’d had.

Her test results would soon be here; her fate would be foretold,
and in her mind she saw the past; she saw her life unfold.
The foolish things she’d said and done; the hurt that she had caused,
If only she had waited, thought of others and then paused.

Her youth was well behind her now and wisdom comes at last,
but life was cold and empty; dreams had withered in the past.
Her thoughts were now of mother and of happy childhood days,
and longed to ask forgiveness for her later wayward ways.

With trembling hands she took the phone and made that nervous call,
and heard again her mothers voice; the sweetest voice of all.
Her mother told her gently there was nothing to forgive,
the past was just a moment, in the lives that we all live.

The test results forgotten, for she now no longer cared,
to have her parents love again was more than she had dared.
The hopelessness was gone now with her spirits rising high,
for she would beat this threat and sensed that danger had passed by.

She hurried to the garden for the first time in a week,
her eyes were bright and shining; tears of joy upon her cheek.
The sun had broken through at last to lift the brooding gloom,
she looked then at that scraggy bush; the rose bud now a bloom.


30/8/2009  T.E. PIGGOTT

Beautiful Terry as usual.

Sue

Thanks Sue,
I used to really enjoy doing homework and you would be surprised how many poems written for this later turned out to be quite successful poems.
I reckon it's a great way to help learn the craft, it can be fun too if you let it and this seems to free up your mind to try different things, it certainly helped me. Now I will have a bit more time I will try to do the odd one again.

Cheers Terry

That is beautiful Terry, doesn't matter if it is late. Nothing's set in concrete here. I especially like these lines

Her mother told her gently there was nothing to forgive,
the past was just a moment, in the lives that we all live.

perhaps a thought we could all do well to remember on occasions - The story behind the words still occurs every day somewhere despite all the knowledge and options women have these days. You can never avoid the human factor

Hope you had a successful time out in the scrub.

Cheers

Maureen

Hi Maureen,
Thanks for the comment.

If only we could get more of those special lines into our poems, what a difference that would make?

The last trip was ok but nothing special, in the end I was glad when the the damn machinery gave up the ghost.

Hope to have a bit more time to do a bit of writing, I haven't done anything serious for the last 3-4 months.

Regards,

Terry

Terry, terrific mate.

The story behind the words still occurs every day somewhere despite all the knowledge and options women have these days.

Not only the ladies Maureen.
Believe me.
Jim.

Thanks Jim,
I guess we all have Known or heard of similar stories.
It's so sad when families fall out and it's often many years before the wounds heal, if ever.

Terry

Beautiful poem as usual Terry - captured so well.

Are you going to the AGM and muster in September? Will catch you there if you are - I have a book I picked up that I thought you might be interested in - Along the Ashburton.
Will take it with me just in case. Young Dave has put his hand up for the committee - are you interested?

catchya
IRene

Thanks Irene,

Yes I will be attending the September Muster on Friday week, look forward to catching up with you.

I certainly am interested in that book, thank you for thinking of me, Val mentioned someone had rung about it but she got her messages mixed up and wasn't sure who it was.

As for the committee I'll have a chat to you and see if you think I will be of any use as we will be popping of here and there fairly often now I've retired (whoopie).

Cheers Terry