ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Gday Terry, it is getting to that stage of our lives sadly, lost my youngest brother a few weeks ago, used to be 21sts,weddings or house warming's, now it seems to be funerals and wakes! A fitting tribute to an old mate in your usual style.
On a lighter note, I have just returned from a desert fix, my remaining brother and two of my nephews just did a trip to Dalhousie Springs to dismantle some sheds and bring them south, it was a great time to catch up and do some bonding with family in the shadow of my young brothers passing. Got to see Oodnadatta again....not much change there except the pub is only open a few hours a day on a few days a week and the general population has diminished a bit by the look of it. Coober Pedy is still Coober Pedy, though I reckon you would notice some substantial differences if you haven't been back for awhile...

G/Day Ross

Sorry to hear about your brother, saying farewell to mates and family seems to be our lot these days. Age has caught up with us and those we're close to mate.

Even sadder in some ways,is visiting family and friends in age care, hope I don't end up there myself. I'm down in Albany for a few days catching up with family and sadly visiting a couple of them who are in age care. They are well looked after, but there are some sad sights to see there.

Haven't been to Coober Pedy for a few years but my old mining partner is still there and I chat to him from time to time. Val and I plan to go bush and have a bit of a prospect for a couple of weeks, it's more a case of tramping over and camping at a few well loved spots from the od days

Cheers Ross

Terry

Terry, I absolutely loved this tribute when I heard it at Dave funeral, and it continues to bring back wonderful memories of Dave and our poetry gatherings over here in the west. Those gatherings will never be the same again, but there will always be an empty chair waiting for him to take a seat and entertain us all. I had a poem drifting around in my head for Dave also, but his death came too soon on the heels of another for it to come out – one day I hope it will!
For those who knew Dave, he was a very special person, and one that has given so much to so many. Your poem is a beautiful gift for Elaine and all Dave's loved ones.

Thank you for sharing.
Irene

Thanks Irene

We all thought the world of Dave as we have both mentioned, and I felt honoured when Elaine asked me if I would write a poem for his funeral.

I decided to post it here so his many friends over this way, and even those who perhaps had just heard of him in passing, would see how much we all loved him over here in the west.

Terry