Serious versus humorous

[Stephen Whiteside]

I think the reason why serious songs are easier to sell is that music provides more stimulation to the ear than simple spoken word. There is just so much more to listen to, and music and instruments are just generally more 'entertaining'. That's why you're immediately up against it when you rely entirely upon the spoken word, and the temptation is very strong to switch to vaudeville.

The difficulty with 'folk poet', Vic, is that, even though academia blesses free verse, not all free verse practitioners are academics - far from it, I suspect, and I imagine they would bridle at being excluded from the definition of 'folk poetry'.

I wonder if we are 'naive' poets - thinking of the naive school of art. Whenever I draw a picture I'm told it's in the naive style.

We could just be 'rhyming poets', but that does sound exceptionally flat and daggy.

I also suspect we should be reaching out more to musicians. Poetry and music work well together, and can be of mutual benefit. Audiences for music are generally much bigger than for poetry. (Yes, I know there are exceptions.) If you put an hour of poetry in the middle of a musical programme, you are probably going to lose most of your audience, but if you put an hour of 'poetry and song' in there instead, you will probably keep them - and leave them feeling they have had a taste of something a bit different. Even then, you probably want about two songs to one poem - unless the poetry is absolutely extraordinary.

Thinking a bit more about the tennis analogy, sport and the arts are generally for the young and the old. You get involved as a young adult (or perhaps younger still), then you have kids, and don't have the time for it all. Then, when the kids are grown up, you get back into it again. Perhaps it is more complicated than that. I don't know.

One last thing. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Children - and their parents - are a great audience for poetry. Once again, you need to break it up a bit, and there are lots of ways to do that. Sing a song. Ask the audience some questions. Get involved with some conversations with the kids for a little while. Have a break for some exercises to relieve sore bottoms and numb legs - star jumps, or something like that. Keep it all moving, but it does work.

[Vic Jefferies]

Stephen when I say folk poets I think of "real" folk singers and musicians, those without formal training and who write and sing about their or their people's experiences. Woody Guthrie, Muddy Waters et al. Music and lyrics from the heart.
Perhaps not technically correct but extremely powerful and tremendously acclaimed. I think "folk poet" suits us very well.
Not all free verse writers are academics but many are accepted by academia because they are writing in the "approved" manner and not usurping or challenging academia's current idea of poetry.
I have performed a number of times at various festivals with singers and the blend of poetry and song does indeed work very well and is appreciated by the audience.
In relation to serious songs versus serious poetry I believe I was the first to recite And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda as a poem and I have lost count of how many people have remarked that they found it more touching as a poem than a song.

[william williams]

Here Here Marty no truer word has been spoken.

I have just spent a number of days at a muster poets breakfast at Bungendore tuesday wednsday thursday friday and saturday mornings they were mostly GREY NOMADS age 50 to 75 numbers at each breakfast 40 to 80 people and they enjoyed it and that is all that matters

BILL WILLIAMS THE OLD BATTLER

[Bob Pacey]

The selection of what to present is crucial and sorry Marty I beg to differ on just doing what you want although I will say that the preamble if you can call it that prepares the audience for what is to come and can sometimes allow you to be a bit more out there. Many time I've changed what I intended to perform to better fit with the audience.

I have just finished doing Valentine shows for some of the retirement villages and love nothing better than seeing their faces light up when you mention Dunnies and such. One lady tonight laughed heaps and The nurse said she is nornally very quiet and when I asked at the end if they wanted one more to finish she was the most vocal.

Had a discussion with one old bloke about stockmen and stories told around the campfire and he gave me two dollars to buy a beer and said it brought back great memories for him. I even met one of my old supermarket managers from 25 years back who said he quite often collects the poems I put in the local paper.

I like Zondrae will jump at any chance to spread the word be it schools or retirement homes, Probus or Rotary, private parties and I always introduce myself as a performance poet or as most people know a Bush Poet.


Bob

[Stephen Whiteside]

Not a Rural and Regional Poet, Bob? Has a nice ring.

[alongtimegone]

David and Stephen, I think that serious music/serious songs (lyric wise) are easier to sell simply because of the sheer size of the audience for starters. There are probably other factors but this is the prime. Music belongs to everyone and is universally loved in one form or another. Some people may not enjoy jazz music at all. Others may not enjoy modern jazz but don’t mind it in its traditional form. Some claim not to like country while others love it. Classical music and opera is loved by many and really hated by others and this is true of music in every one of its genres. I don’t believe there is anyone who would claim to dislike all music. Also music is generational. The rock music of today sounds nothing like the music that I called rock but the young listeners are just as enthusiastic about it.. Unfortunately the same is not true of poetry in any of its forms. I loved English as a subject but hated poetry in my senior year at high school because I was forced to study it, analyse it, remember it and be able to quote from it. Friends of mine who took music as a subject had also to study and analyse it but they were doing the subject by choice.
Re contemporary verse and young writers.
“Is that because there’s hardly anyone in that age group writing bush poetry”?
Absolutely … you just have to look at the members of ABPA. as an example. How many 18 year old members are there, and by admission on this very forum the performers are working predominantly to a very adult audience? Now look at how many 18 year olds are either writing or performing (or both) music and the answer’s pretty clear. If you are not listening to it, being immersed in it, from a very young age, then there is far less chance that you are going to write it.
On a personal note my interest is tied to my love of writing songs and especially the lyrics.

Just my opinion guys … Wazza

Here is the lyric to one of my country songs. Is it a song or a piece of bush poetry or does it matter? The title is my user name for the forum, although I wish I could change it. It's cumbersome.

A Long Time Gone

I left my home in search of fame and fortune
City lights a beacon burning bright
But now I’ve tasted all they’ve got to give me
And it pales beside an outback sky at night

So I go to sleep pretending that I’m back where
I can reach right out and almost touch the sky
I feel the night caress me oh so lightly
And I dream that soon beneath its stars I’ll lie

And country roads – keep - calling me
Reminding me - that - I’m far away from home
Your star lit skies - keep - haunting me
And I know - - I’ve been a long time gone.

Your river gums and sandy creek beds beckon
And your distant mountain ridges call my name
I long to climb again those dappled hill sides
That caress the wide brown land from whence I came

I embrace you in every lonely moment
And I think of you each time I breathe your name
I search for you where twilight shadows gather.
And I hear your voice in ev’ry song’s refrain

And country roads – keep - calling me
Reminding me - that - I’m far away from home
Your star lit skies - keep - haunting me
And I know - - I’ve been a long time gone.