ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Bush Poets

© Stephen Whiteside 16.12.2012

Bush poets, as the common public knows,
Write of horses, like you see in shows,
But rougher ones, more often seen outback,
Animals full laden with the pack

Of drovers - tough men sporting facial hair
Who like as not complain when they are there
But, finished, turn the volume even louder.
In truth, of course, they just could not be prouder

Of their standing in the world's scheme, their position -
More lauded than mere dentist or physician,
But I'm veering many miles off my course.
I should be writing of the drover's horse.

The trouble is, the horse is just a beast
Of burden. It engages not the least
Emotion, intellect or any part
Of me. It cannot ever trigger Art.

So how, then, do they do it, all these blokes
(And sheilas) as they focus on the spokes
Of wagons in the mud or whirling dust?
It leaves me baffled, speechless, quite nonplussed.

Yet that is what's required. I know the drill.
I reckon it must be a special skill
To take a thing that's really dull as dung
And turn it to an anthem that is sung.

Bush poets, it is widely understood
Write of old things fashioned out of wood,
Eschewing all the trappings of new ways.
They do not wash their pubes for many days.

But horses are the things they really love.
They write like they are presents from Above.
I don't get it. Yes, it is a pity.
I write about the mean streets of the city.

Some terrific lines in there. Keep on writing about the city Stephen. I love the fact that our modern bush poets are able to write about the 21st centuary - occasionally.

I don't get the outback horseback or wagon thing either, dust and flies don't do it for me. I'll stick with air conditioned cars (or planes) and 5 star hotels thank you very much. Hardship for me is the bloody low flow showers some of those hotels insist on using. Hate the things. Grumble, grumble.

Thank you.

G'day Stephen,

Well you must know my reputation regarding 'flamin horses'. However, I had a HC from the Blackened Billy one year with a poem about drovers - also 'The Saddle In The Yard' was published in the Bronze Swagman anthology, 2008. So you should be able to do it. However I feel you are a 'contra' by nature and prefer to write about your resistance. Keep them coming.

Hate horses! As someone once said, "They are dangerous at both ends and uncomfortable in the middle!" In fact horses played a much lesser role in establishing Australia than is commonly thought. Bullocks were very much stronger, reliable and hardy and when they reached the end of their working life you could eat them. Horses were regarded by many as troublesome, expensive to keep and less able to work hard or endure harsh conditions. I remember my grandfather who was an old bushman often saying it was easier to walk than keep a "blanky" horse!

Vic Jefferies wrote:Bullocks were very much stronger, reliable and hardy and when they reached the end of their working life you could eat them.

Although it might seem very unfashionable these days, I remember reading an article about the benefits of eating horse flesh in an old Australian newspaper that the Batlow Historical Society have. It mentioned being able to buy horse flesh from some butchers at the time (we are talking early 1900s). In parts of Europe and the Middle East, horse is an item that you can find on the menu up to this day. I'm not sure if I would try it though!

No disrespect intended but.

I gather Jeff that you are what would be called a city slicker a person who has possible never ridden a horse nor known the friendship nor the need of a horse.
What would you have done in the not so many days ago when mustering cattle. WALK.

Or maybe move a mob of cattle that are a bit lively RUN.

Or if you had bothered to read the story of a Buffalo Hunter which by the way is truth how would you have made your living then.

In your city youth, who delivered your milk for your breakfast and your parents cup of tea.

Or the bread for your toast or the ice for your mothers ice chest plus so many other things that the poor old horse did for you.

Even today he still supplies you with various forms of entertainment for your grand kids and you in various equestrian events and pony rides.

Or even the fertilizer that you use in your garden may quite well be a by product from them.

Both the bullock and the horse have their places in the history of this country and they still do..

Bill Williams The Old Battler.

Fair enough Bill! You are absolutely correct in what you say, however the point I was making was that the horse was not always regarded as the romanticized animal that is portrayed by so many writers today.
I did read your story about buffalo shooting and you may recall I referred you to Banjo's story on the same subject.

Thank you Jeffery for what you have said.

What is romantic about walking behind a mob of cattle for hours on end and if the truth be known I have walked for miles with my horses properly more distance than I have ridden them because of the speed that the mobs traveled.

I wish writer would stop romantersizeing their novels but then again would they sell them

Bad horse training results in poor horse handling and lack of use.

Many horse and bullock teams were used to hall wheat and wool to the inland shipping ports teams of as many as 60 to 100 head of bullocks and 40 horses.

Bullocks were slower and horses much quicker but pulled less weight but both have their places.

Camels were often used to pull wagons of wheat and wool also to these same areas they were quicker than horses and bullocks, but far more nasty and cantankerus.


Bill Williams The Old Battler

Good on You William, it is Vic jefferies not Jeffery. I reckon you ought to read Ernestine Hill's book The Territory. You would absolutely love it!