ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

you're still going OK Wazza....at least you still get up to pee!.....assuming of course you only have three a night that is....

Neville Briggs wrote:Does anyone know if Paterson , Lawson, Morant, Gordon or C.J.Dennis ever read or recited their stuff. Dorothea Mackellar was recorded reading hers. Les Murray reads his stuff.
If they did, I wonder how it was done, that would be interesting.

Good point, Nev . . (lost amidst nocturnal toileting activities ) I wonder if there are any old sound archives of these past poets reading, reciting or performing their work? It would be very interesting. I remember immensely enjoying the words of Bruce Dawe come off the page at me when in High School, then upon hearing his own reading of the same poems it was a let down.

Marty

Marty, 0ne of the most entertaining to hear doing his poetry is John ( Fred Dagg ) Clarke.

There is a lady in Singleton whose mother knew Patrick Hartigan ( John O'Brien) at Narrandera. Hartigan never recited his own work. And he spoke like an Aussie country bloke, never with an Irish brogue., so we have guide to how Said Hanrahan should go.

Entertainment/performance and "poetry" are not always the same thing.

Heather

Where is it written that poetry should be "entertaining"? (Get the rule book out Neville!)Sometimes it is meant to be "poetry". Whether it is provocative, inspirational or dull depends on the perception of the reader.

Heather

Thanks to all who have contributed to this thread...it's been an interesting and informative discussion. I've learnt one thing in particular, and it's prompted another stanza for my little poem.

So for those who like their reading here’s a warning to be heeding
whether Vic and Marty B are dropping by,
for they’ll find it all so boring that their cacophonic snoring
will obliterate attempts to versify!

Cheers
David

" cacophonic snoring "

sounds impressive doesn't it Neville and probably equally entertaining

Thank you David Glad to see that there has been quite a discussion over this subject but I see that there must be quite a few members that were born after 1952 when in their formative years they crammed around the TV shows for their kicks.

But what they forget is that before then and a few years latter all those Radio stars mostly read from their sheets to present their favourite programs like GUESS WHAT, SUPER MAN, BIGGLES, BLUE HILLS plus many other programs that their parents enjoyed.

Just wish you all would remember audio reading is an art, something that everyone can learn to do properly with voice control rather than rely often on body language and movements


bill williams

It's a very interesting discussion and one I have witnessed first hand. Having judges many National and State finals, I tip my hat to those who introduce reading within their Competition formats. I have seen some wonderful performances where the poets have read and some very poor and boring performances from memory. I must agree that it is the content of the poem and the ability to empathise with/connect with/to entertain the audience, depending on the emotion of the poem that counts towards a successful performance.
There is always a tendency to bring so called 'Professional Poets' into the equation. What is a Professional Poet? Some Poets have simply found a new audience, be it Corporate, Country Music Crowds, Folk Crowds, or whatever, where they are paid a fee to supply the audience with a memorable and entertaining performance. I must admit that I have hired and presented Poets in the past, at Festivals, who simply failed to entertain and I wished that they HAD read, and read something suitable to the given audience.
But belittling Poets who go out and seek their own jobs, venues, audiences, and are paid for doing such (the same as the Musicians are) should not be blamed for the staleness in Bush Poetry, the lack of opportunities for others, etc. etc. Each of them did the hard yards in the early days and their experience and material is in demand. They are also responsible for supplying some of the best Poetry venues at some of the best festivals in Australia. Many of them continue, also, to write the best and most requested poetry in Australia.

At the same time, I run a couple of walk up venues during festivals, Mildura being a classic example, where most walk up poets would read and we would still have packed houses over twelve days. Most of those poets who still attend have now committed their poetry to memory, and we are talking an age range from 30 to mid 80's. But we still get new poets getting up and reading. If they have selected their material well, and read it with passion, the audience respond accordingly. Of course their will be failures, but isn't that how we all started? 'Proffesional Poets' included?

Neil