Australian poetry.

[V8Ian]

Is anyone familiar with the poem "Forty Miles From Meekatharra"?

[Don 130]

No, but you got me intrigued, as I couldn't find it with a search. Is it blue?
Don.

[V8Ian]

No, but you got me intrigued, as I couldn't find it with a search. Is it blue?
Don.
No, it used to be part of the curriculum in Queensland Primary Schools.
I'm hoping Brian or Bob can help me out.

Forty miles from Meekathara,
Past the peaceful billabong,
Hear them tear the air asunder,
Hear the road trains roar along,

That's all I can remember. [bigsad]

[V8Ian]

Meekatharra has two rs, even spelling it the correct way doesn't assist in a search.

[Saitch]

Why do you do these things, Ian? Yes, the poem is familiar so now my afternoon of contemplation will be shattered whilst I rummage through my brain cells and the internet. Thank God for Coopers Brewing.

[NavyDiver]

Our Little Mates
by Sapper Oscar Walters, "somewhere on the front"

(From Meekatharra Miner, June 10th 1916)

It was for a short time only that all of our schemes seemed wrecked,
That we had forsaken our dearest to earn a foe's respect
And dully we watched the sun set in a world of blood and hate,
When in our blunted senses stole the dream of a Little Mate.

And they who were faint and weary in the long, grim fight with pain
Smiled at your fanciful dreaming, and smiling, took heart again
"Dear Little Mate, do you blame us if we, when the fight was hot,
Slaughtered and gazed at the slaughter, and slaughtering, forgot ?”

No longer with feet uncertain we travel a path unknown;
Fearless we face a morrow we dared not face alone.
Out on the lone, grim places ever on guard we stand,
That your dreaming be unmolested—that your dreams be large and grand.

For you fight with us in the trenches, you walk with us in the snows,
You go with us on the long fatigues that only a soldier knows.
When we fight for you in the darkness, in the darkness you fight with us
In the hell that we have created; the gods have ordained it thus.

We have little of goodness and wisdom, we pawns in the hands of Fate.
We have sinned as man can only, yet each has a Little Mate
Who gives him the greater courage in the game of the desperate chance,
'Tis the Little Mates who will lead us on in the days of the great advance.

Couldn't find your Ian but a load more located [thumbsupbig]

From WA Bush poets (http://wabushpoets.asn.au/pastpoets/Anon/anon.htm)

[4bee]

The first time I had heard of Meekatharra was during the REDEX Trials in days of yore.


Not earth shattering I realise.[bigsad]

[Bigbjorn]

No, it used to be part of the curriculum in Queensland Primary Schools.
I'm hoping Brian or Bob can help me out.

Forty miles from Meekathara,
Past the peaceful billabong,
Hear them tear the air asunder,
Hear the road trains roar along,

That's all I can remember. [bigsad]

When I was at primary school the only mention of trains in The School Readers were steam trains and camel trains.

[V8Ian]

Why do you do these things, Ian? Yes, the poem is familiar so now my afternoon of contemplation will be shattered whilst I rummage through my brain cells and the internet. Thank God for Coopers Brewing.
Could you refer the question to the brains trust, by whom you are surrounded? [bigwhistle]

[V8Ian]

Incisor should know it, as long as he was paying attention or not wagging it. [thumbsupbig]

[scarry]

Apologise as its side on,but i wonder if the poem is in here?

Next time we stop at the logan Village Museum i could have a look.[thumbsupbig]


https://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/16217063/640/16217063.jpg (https://picturepush.com/public/16217063)

[RANDLOVER]

Meekatharra has two rs, even spelling it the correct way doesn't assist in a search.

But does Australia have a Nantucket so we can have some limericks?

[V8Ian]

Apologise as its side on,but i wonder if the poem is in here?

Next time we stop at the logan Village Museum i could have a look.[thumbsupbig]


https://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/16217063/640/16217063.jpg (https://picturepush.com/public/16217063)
Thanks Paul, IIRC it was either grade 6 or 7.

Natural resources are those things that nature has provided and we have learned to put into use. Verbatim from the grade 6 Social Studies book, I learnt that in grade 5, as I was in a combination grade 5/6 class.

[scarry]

This one Ian?[biggrin]No ,sorry,thats grade 4.

Coincidently these were the only two they had,and i remembered both from school.

But i honestly couldn't remember anything that was between the covers,but did recognise a few of the pics.

School wasn't really my thing,i spent most of the time watching the classroom clock,hoping the bell would ring [bighmmm]

https://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/16217069/640/16217069.jpg (https://picturepush.com/public/16217069)

[V8Ian]

[bigrolf] At least I had a more interesting distraction. I used to count the waggons on the trains coming in from and going to the west, coal trains, pig trains, K trains, mixed goods.
Occasionally got treated with a Bayer Garrett.

[bob10]

Waiting on an E-mail from the CEO of Poetry Australia, to answer your question. Not holding my breath.

[S3ute]

No, it used to be part of the curriculum in Queensland Primary Schools. [bigsad]

Hello from Sherwood.

I’m no longer so sure that would be a natural safeguard in these more enlightened days.

Cheers,