Hans Heysen Launch - Max and Jacqui Merckenschlager

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manfredvijars

Hans Heysen Launch - Max and Jacqui Merckenschlager

Post by manfredvijars » Tue May 03, 2011 6:08 am

Good morning friends

Yesterday was rather special for me and I'd like to share it with you.
Jacqui and I travelled to the beautiful Hahndorf home of Sir Hans Heysen, SA's gifted artist, to participate in the launch of a poetry anthology about the man, his life and his contribution to society. "That Which My Eyes See" is a lovely collection of poems by 15 authors in the Ginninderra Press stable, including 4 each written by Jacqui and me. Our poetry is supported in the book by drawings of decorated artist Kevin Stead. It really struck me yesterday how much Jacqui and I have become members of a larger family of writers and lovers of the written word, as we mingled easily in the crush before and after the launch.

We heard during the welcome that Hans "grew" his property over years, buying up neighbours' acreages as they came on the market to help preserve their wonderful gums (so many of which are featured in his work). The 150 acre estate has remained in the hands of the extended Heysen family, while also running as a national museum of unparalleled cultural value to the nation. Now the family has decided to pass control of 'The Cedars' to the people, so that funding may be sourced which will maintain it in perpetuity. At the same time, the Heysens will retain the strong family affinity with 'The Cedars' by ensuring they can continue to meet there to celebrate their special relationship of people and property. Sue Heysen, who represented the family yesterday, is a great example of the noble Heysen heart. A Heysen by marriage, this gracious greying lady whom we had invited as our special guest, quietly slipped around after the launch with platters of cheese and crackers to offer others in the throng. We also learned that poetry featured strongly in the lives of the Heysen brood. Many nights the children were read to from much-loved books in their extensive literary home library. And mother Selma would read poetry to the children as they salted the beans (an irksome task ... they loved the poetry, but not the beans).

Yesterday was perhaps one of the few remaining opportunities for Jacqui and me to share such occasions with my father Cyril, who will celebrate his 96th birthday in two weeks time. Dad and I have something in common with Hans. Our forebears were from Hamburg. Grandpa Max came to Australia when the concerned family of his beloved, who lived in the ethereal world of German Kaisers, warned the romantic couple off their ambitions. And he sailed round Cape Horn three times on windjammers as a young merchant man. Maybe that accounts for my impossibly romantic attitude to life?

On the way to Hahndorf, we received a phonecall from the coordinator of Grenfell NSW's Henry Lawson Festival informing Jacqui that her poem "The Photo Of Forbidden Dreamers" had received a high commendation in the free verse section of the literary awards. Her poem is based on a true photo-and-story shared with our daughter Ilona by her Hazara friend Raza, whom she was tutoring in English at the time. Anyone who doubts that our "boat people" are under enormous stresses would do well to spend some time talking to people like Raza. Jacqui's poem is attached, by the way. I was also informed that my poem "Easy In The Sun" (written for and included in the Heysen anthology) has won the 2011 traditional verse section of the Grenfell awards. The poem is dear to my heart, almost like another child, because it is my attempt to 'get inside the skin' of our great artist and his Hahndorf community. Many of my "better" bush poems have truth in the tale, rather than being outrageous good yarns (important though this alternate kind of poem is in creating a sharing atmosphere of laughter and tears). I am attaching "Easy In The Sun" along with my other successful Grenfell poems from the last 8 years. As you'll see, if you have time to wade through them, most have an authentic tale to tell about Australians and our wonderful country. Thank you, bluebloods, for "sending" Grandpa here, all those years ago.

My Grenfell traditional verse winning poems are "Shedding light on Kelly" (2004), "Requiem for a pioneer/Farewell my heart" (2005), "Men of skins" (2006), "Sorry sorry day" (2008),"Mulling over Mafeking" (2009), "Possum of the river" (2010) and "Easy in the sun" (2011). The 2005/6/8/9 poems also received the Grenfell statuette for best overall poem. I've made Sorry Day and Requiem into songs, which you can download and hear from our website http://www.reedycreekbabblers.com if you're interested.

Cheers, Max

Max and Jacqui Merckenschlager
10 BORCHARDT ROAD CALOOTE SA 5254
maxandjacqui@bigpond.com
http://www.reedycreekbabblers.com

Remember the bustle of the bush –
every thump and cough,
every snuffle and song;
commit them to memory.
Tomorrow dawns with hush.

And the silence, my friend,
is forever.

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Maureen K Clifford
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Re: Hans Heysen Launch - Max Merckenschlager

Post by Maureen K Clifford » Tue May 03, 2011 8:37 am

Congratulations to Max and Jacqui - worthy recipients.

Max's songs 'Sorry Sorry Day' and 'Until' are so sad and so true - they break my heart. Do yourselves a favour and go to Max and Jacquis website and read and listen to some fabulous words.

Thanks Mannie for sharing this with us.

Cheers

Maureen
Check out The Scribbly Bark Poets blog site here -
http://scribblybarkpoetry.blogspot.com.au/


I may not always succeed in making a difference, but I will go to my grave knowing I at least tried.

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Zondrae
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Re: Hans Heysen Launch - Max Merckenschlager

Post by Zondrae » Tue May 03, 2011 9:27 am

Wow,

what an achievement. or should I say that in multiple plurals.

Thank you Max for sharing your work.

(and giving me a better idea of what I should be aiming for in a poem.)
Zondrae King
a woman of words

mummsie
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Re: Hans Heysen Launch - Max and Jacqui Merckenschlager

Post by mummsie » Tue May 03, 2011 10:35 am

'AWESOME' is all I can say, couldn't help but shed a tear during the Sorry Day song, what were they thinking?Loved King of the Land. Think I'll be revisiting this site quite regularly. Thank you for sharing Manfred.
Sue
the door is always open, the kettles always on, my shoulders here to cry on, i'll not judge who's right or wrong.

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