ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Looking forward to a great song-writing session coming up in the next couple of weeks. Big problem! What to write about?

I love writing, and write about all sorts of stuff and many styles: poetry - BUSH poetry, lyrics, short stories, thoughts, weird thoughts - really weird stuff, often given me by Aliens from the outer reaches of the far-flung Galaxies.

Here's my dilemma - What to write about??

The "Bush"?
As a Bush Poet and lyricist I've done the Drovers and Campfire thingie. Sadly the reality is that cattle (for most of MY life) are shipped in trucks and mustered by helicopter and motorbike (not as romantic as by horse and drovers). But from what I understand, pack-horse droving was nowhere near 'romantic' and could get you killed. Sadly there's not many packhorse drovers left, so who would relate? Definitely not the wider (contemporary public). (with respect to Bruce Simpson and Kelly Dixon who are still with us)

Write about Australia?
Australia! Ahhh, so wide and grand. But very few truly experience the vastness, distances and heat. Many travelers on the roads (aside from foreign back-packers) are dragging "mobile castles", at least four star, and sleeping in airconditioned comfort - nightly, shutting Australia out. While locked in their carapaces opting to sleep under only FOUR stars - INSTEAD OF BILLIONS. Ironically connecting with the artificial 'stars' encircling our globe, to engage in 'contrived' reality like "My Kitchen Ruler" or other such debilitating addictions. As for an understanding of the "Land Traversed"? Photos of the occasional monuments along the road-side will suffice. Sadly, soon forgotten by the plethora of sunrise and sunset piccies, from forgotten locations. All this to wow your friends on social media. At least it can be said you DID, "The Great Circle Trip"!
Any interest yet in our, "Wide Brown Land?"

Our Diggers.
This Gallipoli Centenary year we, as writers, could be in danger of milking blood from the many stone monuments of sacrifice in a quest to extract a glory which former (involved) diggers eschewed. In our effort to remember and solemnize their sacrifice, are we (writers) in danger of trivializing that which is solemn and noble? Can this "noblesse oblige", by our common Aussies a century ago, in a grandeur of effort and will, defined by muscle, sweat, sacrifice and blood, be used as a template for our current digital age? Can we, as a Nation, really rise to such nobility?

Love????
See, "The Early Works of Taylor Swift!"

Write About Now??
Is anyone interested in our collective present?

What to write about ????????
(My dilemma)

If you don't know where to start, start anywhere.

manfredvijars wrote:Australia! Ahhh, so wide and grand.

The big picture has been done before , many times , look at what is just in front of you within reach, maybe no one else has seen that. There's a start.
e.g. Your little grandson ? He has a heritage from the Old World and the New World.

write about your dilemma (with just one L seeing Nev is really slipping up in that department )

Bloody hate it when you get bored Manny ?

Just do Maureens Prompts for the fortnight.


Bob

no body is going to hold your hand Manny so do it your way as Frank Sinatra once sang (I did it my way) not that he was a favorite of mine far from it.
Your Memories are yours, share them if you wish otherwise tell them bugger all and let them sit in their dingy little office as a fellow poet once wrote.

bill w

Looks like my vodka was plugged into the Internet last night ... Sorry for the rant ...

Just free up your mind and keep your ears and eyes open Manny - something will turn up.

We all have a wealth of ideas and experiences gathered over our lifetime, just bringing them to the surface is the problem,
Our minds become so cluttered with mostly silly incidentals that the good stuff rarely sees the light of day.

Happy musing mate.

Terry

Oh fearless (Ex)leader,

Find an empty block of land or a park, go to the middle and lie on your back and close your eyes for about two minutes. Then open your eyes and if there is nothing to see, sit up and look around you. You are sure to see something that you haven't noticed before. If this fails try looking into a pond. Not just a glance but really look and see what is happening.

Another exercise is to keep the eyes closed and just listen.. but listen hard then make notes of all the different sounds. Sometimes I can identify up to seven different bird songs from my kitchen window.

Seems to me Manfred you listed three great topics to write about plus the one, "I don't know what to write about."
It aint always the topic but how you treat it that matters.