ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Sunset in the Bush

The sun slips slowly down behind the spur.
The gum trees stand against a red expanse.
One by one, the stars begin to stir,
And brightly dance.

The birds fall silent with the last bright rays.
The rustling leaves around us drift to rest.
We hear the river water’s bubbling ways,
And feel quite blessed.

Pots and pans begin to bump and clink.
The billy’s placed on blazing lumps of wood.
Soon we’ll settle down to eat and drink,
For life is good.

At last the field of stars will reign supreme.
The sun will take its busy work elsewhere
And, by the dying coals, as in a dream,
We’ll sit and stare.

© Stephen Whiteside 20.05.2016

One of my favourite past times Stephen. We love to park the caravan beside a body of water and set up a fire place and enjoy the passing of the day and evening.

Enjoyed the read.


Merv.

Thanks, Merv.

The shortened last lines are very effective as is the imagery. I really liked it.
Wazza

Thanks, Wazza. C. J. Dennis loved his short lines.

Just love it, Stephen! I absolutely agree with Wazza - the short line makes it, and elevates it from "ordinary" to "super"!!

It certainly does have shades of CJ Dennis - not just for the trademark short line, but also the imagery. I especially like the way you've described the sunset ...

The sun will take its busy work elsewhere

Encapsulating the workings of the universe in very human terms was another delightful and appealing CJ Dennis habit!

Cheers
Shelley

Thank you for your very kind words, Shelley.

Another evocative piece, Stephen, and, like the others, I appreciate the Dennis touches.

David

Thanks, David. The Dennis touches were largely unconscious.

beautifully crafted Stephen - your words transport the reader to that rural setting - the serenity is tangible.