ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

I have tried to use a few of the lesser or more obscure sayings, which has caused me to be a bit careless with the meter once or twice, rather that alter those old sayings.

Stewie

“Strike a flamen light mate will you get a gander there of that,
one of those new-fangled ‘thing-a-me-bobs’- or I’ll eat my hat”.
Stewie, often threatened that he’d eat his worn-out battered lid
and it had so many holes in it, perhaps at times he did.

He’s a character alright and spoke a lingo of his own,
just a true bush wordsmith who could swear in every language known.
And the air was always blue, each time he stopped to have a chat,
and liked nothing better, than to bail you up to ‘chew the fat’.

When it came to chinwagging, he’d talk the leg off a wooden chair.
going non-stop for hours without even coming up for air.
He was always stony broke and lived alone out bush somewhere.
where he tried to scratch a living but good finds were pretty rare.

Though he lived alone these days, it hadn’t always been that way,
he had known his share of Sheila’s too, but none had cared to stay.
He had also been a cricketer who should have played a test,
and was pretty good at most sport too, but liked the ‘nags’ the best.

He was never short of answers though he didn’t have a clue,
“It's a wig-wam-for a gooses-bridal” often had to do.
So I guess he was a ratbag, but was honest and was game,
Unreliable as hell, and yet I liked him just the same.

© T.E. Piggott

Another good character study Terry, Have known a few like Stewie over the years. Summed up I think in the line "he had known his share of Sheilas
too, but none had cared to stay.''
Great use of the old sayings, and I agree that in poems like this they are more important than perfect meter.
Enjoyed it mate, well done,
Ron

Thanks Ron

Terry

Good one Terry - some beaut old expressions in there, don't hear stony broke used much these days. It is claimed to have an Irish origin. A lot of our old lingo is of course related back to overseas origins because of our heavy migrant population back in the day, but then we Aussies kind of laid claim and made these sayings our own.

You might want to correct a typo in there Terry, s/b talk the leg OFF

Thanks Maureen

Fixed that as well!

Terry

Clever and enjoyable, Terry - so many old sayings included here, and they certainly bring a smile. Well done!

Thanks Catherine

As Maureen says, just a bit of fun.

Terry

I like the way you've woven the lingo into a portrait of a character, Terry. Makes the poem multi-faceted.

Thanks Shelley

A bit of fun really

Terry