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Barcoo Drover
Contributed by
twinkletoes
on
Monday, 8th March 2004 @ 08:38:56 PM in AEST
Topic:
StoryPoetry
|
Beauty of the dawn is mine
Frost still crisp and blue
Magpie calls his early song
Sun yet to light the hue.
He rode in that chill grey dawn
A figure stooped and cold,
It was the Barcoo drover
As mother had foretold.
Rough and heavy fingers clenched
A long and loose-held rein
His wild Whaler pony pranced
And shook his matted mane.
Shabby was his style of garb
Long hair with unshaved chin
Moleskins that were worn with age
From his coat he took a tin.
He removed a picture from it
Of a youth and clean-faced child
Standing, smiling, hand in hand
On replacing it he smiled.
He looked beyond from where I stood
To the house of our dearest mother
Listening for her familiar sound
Him, my Barcoo drover brother.
“Where is our lovely mother lass?
My blessing from above
Why does she not come greet me?
I beseech our Mother’s love.”
A scant look of knowledge was all I gave
And my eyes cast oe’r to a new filled grave
Where now our sweet mother doth lay
There were no words to say.
He rode his pony to the quiet hill
Knelt and mourned her there
Then turned that pony from whence he came
For life is hardly fair.
He had left her there a letter
Which I felt the need to read
Written by her drover son
A parting, faithful creed.
Mother I have missed you
My love for you burns bright
So as I return to you today
I wish to make things right.
And I have been where the drovers go
Where the ones that win are bold
But that does not replace your love
For it’s rich and treasured gold.
No matter where I may stray
Memories of you stay clear
I will love you forever
I’m so sorry mother dear.
In the distance I saw him ride
My big brother, my joy, my pride
He came and went just like the tide
“Come back, big brother!” I cried.
A warmth swept over my back
As if a comforting arm
I sensed her familiar smell
This quelled all my alarm.
I felt her form there stand by me
As he turned and waved goodbye
Now when I think of the old Barcoo
I remember them both; and cry.
For he also died of a broken heart
Under a lonely sad old tree
My Barcoo drover brother
Whose guilt was not set free.
Wind blows through those twisted branches
Dust swirls in a plaited cloud
Silence is all-surrounding
Loneliness was his shroud.
What has happened to them?
Laying in the parched red soil
Do passers-by know what they gave?
Do they know of their pain and toil?
Are now their headstones merely images
Upon a modern silken city screen
Used to convey a way of life
Of the likes *they can only dream?
“Oh the hardships they were plenty
Love, get me another wine.”
And they would be mistaken
Of our wonderful Barcoo time.
I hear him ever-searching
Upon the wind so shrill
The Barcoo drover’s remorseful voice
It calls me even still.
Where is our dearest mother lass?
Why does she not greet me?
Where has she gone my sister?
I must find her to be free.
Guilt had burdened the drover’s mind
From the day he went to roam
For it was in a fit of rage
That he wandered from his home.
I saw our mother’s saddened face
When he saddled up and rode
To find a fate amongst the mobs
Where the Barcoo River flowed.
There were no words to say that day
As we forever parted
For the Barcoo drover left our mother
Sadly broken-hearted.
*they...modern city travelers
Copyright ©
twinkletoes
... [
2004-03-08 20:38:56]
(Date/Time posted on
site)
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Re: Barcoo Drover
(User Rating: 1 )
by PumpkinPie on
Monday, 8th March 2004 @ 08:48:10 PM AEST
(User
Info | Send
a Message)
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TwinkleToes, God bless !This was amazing,I was ingulfed in it from beginning to end,tasting every line,thirsty for the next.I love how it all rolled out,very imaginative,a clear picture formed itself into my mind and it's like I could feel the warm presence of your mother's spirit and the sadness of your Barcoo drover brother.Truly seems like ever-lasting memories were built there and forever stayed,at least in your heart.Everywhere you look a story resides.Excellent read and write!
PumpkinPie |
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Re: Barcoo Drover
(User Rating: 1 )
by Rakerman1999 on
Monday, 8th March 2004 @ 08:52:25 PM AEST
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a Message)
|
Who bows to who? This is an amazing write and I am fast learning just how good you are.
Very well done
Larry |
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Re: Barcoo Drover
(User Rating: 1 )
by venkat on
Tuesday, 9th March 2004 @ 01:42:36 AM AEST
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a Message)
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Amazingly beautiful..an exceptional work.
best wishes..
venkat |
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Re: Barcoo Drover
(User Rating: 1 )
by DreamWeaver on
Tuesday, 9th March 2004 @ 02:33:16 AM AEST
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a Message)
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| As always, your imagination takes you to wherever you would like ... in this instance to the Barcoo ... one of your most outstanding poems that I have read yet ... filled with so much emotion - sometimes I think your heart is bigger than even I realise ... * Jan |
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Re: Barcoo Drover
(User Rating: 1 )
by Qohinoor on
Tuesday, 13th April 2004 @ 06:29:03 AM AEST
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Info | Send
a Message)
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| From dust, to dust. All that is left then are memories of deeds in the Outback-losses to the archeologists, but a bounty for the poet. |
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