Clusters of pink
bundles of green
frosty treat
winter morning
Colour frosted
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Tag Archives: strathbogie
Mist
The silver mists of Golden Mountain
obscure the ranging view
but create a tableau different and good
of ghosts, and flitting wood nymphs too?
when wallabies thump their way through the wood
it sounds like tree fellers of the past
they appear in swirls of misty pearls
then disappear just as fast
the deep forest loses depth
the towering forest loses height
and still the height and depth of it
is perceived as majesty and might
spectre trees and bracken fern
emerge and fade as shades
the mid story of denser shrubs
thickens, then lightens as glades
above in the lofts of the tree tops
lost in a murky crown
the creak of Gang Gangs evokes a haunted house
as the mist keeps coming down
heavy with moisture grey as lead
the weight of water settles
it drips from every frond and leaf
and jewels the risen nettles
muffled by its soft grey cloak
hushed by its thick grey mantle
awaiting the sun
is forest
under fractal lintel
the chill of it penetrates
every thermal hat, scarf and glove
the pleasure of it permeates
souls
with the nature we love
here in the forest, the misty forest
be one lost and found
take the time to appreciate
the mystery of mistery found all around
Golden
Ah, the light of the golden hour
the yellow wash of dawn’s breaking sun
such pleasure in the early morn
omen for a another day of wonder
beautifully begun
Tableland Talk June 2024
This month’s edition of the small local newsletter I edit.
Luxury
The luxury of poetry
the images created there
the pleasantries of high art
the challenges laid bare
the thoughts on truth and beauty
the ugly brutal truth
the clearly written words
the affected words forsooth
the scibblings of a madman
the writing of a scribe
the wounds of the wounded
the dying and dead imbibed
the love of many lovers
the truth and pain of love
the anxiety of living
the wonder of it hereof
the unitary or divisive delivery
of hell or heaven above
Autumn
Ah, this last of exquisite autumn days
the slant of light of breaking rays
through fractured clouds to which some might say
how disappointing this grey sky day
but the rays of light delighted me
the yellow bands proportionately
dominate the view, you can’t but see
the illumination of everything touched by these
and in that light the detail found
from sun's surface waves inbound
everything on earth reflects colour and pleasure
if you look hard enough for work or leisure
an architect's masterpiece of blossoming features
or a beautiful flower of imperfect creases
see the light touch your skin
examine the surface you find yourself in
think of yourself as embodied light
the light within grants power of sight
and if you think deeper you just might
fully appreciate autumn's dying light
Tableland Talk, May 2024
The very local Newsletter I edit each month.
Predator
Stealthy predator of malign intent
brought to a new country
evil sent
with no defences natives fall
like dominoes before claw and paw
colonising new territory by the day
nothing effective stands in the way
a death count of billions by today
an introduced plague that makes death play
indigenous species fall by the way
to arrest this devastation we catch and kill
but the feline mind eludes us still
and hand on heart
heart on sleeve
we witness endangerment extinction
and grieve
The dVerse prompt for we poets this week came from Melissa, to choose a Louis Wain artwork based on cats, and write a poem inspired by the artwork. One catch– we may not use the word cat. Other feline terminology is acceptable.
Alter
Does it alter every morning when the light strikes the land
when sunlight ever bright or through grey skies hits the strand
do the shapes and forms move
under photon pressure waver
only photographer or artist heeds every little quaver
when dark crevices are lit
by yellow shimmer or dull purple patches
when mountains high or plains below
are patched with coloured swatches
when treed slopes or waving fields
bask in brilliant splendour
it is time to remember nothing is static
take time to appreciate and consider
Tableland Talk April 2024
The local community newsletter I publish each month is back once again.
Tableland Talk March 2024
A small newsletter I edit for our community.
The mariner
I navigate life as a mariner
sailing unpredictable seas
Respectful yet wary
of what they might bring to me
the sea is my natural element
alternating tranquility with power
for me there is no better firmament
to anchor each ticking hour
the waves provide each peak and trough
of life’s brief and epic journeys
that for me is always enough
with the pleasure and pain they have earned me
afloat I bob between the layers of over and undersea
in my boat my capsule of life I bob most jauntily
when l’m aloft the view ahead is a matter of degree
when down below the view is fine,not seen murkily
time will come I’ll be called down deep by Davy Jones
my time of clear air or storms on water will be done
I’ll find a sandy bed to rest and place my ageing bones
afar from the binding land, eyes dead to the blinding sun
Tableland Talk, February 2024
Welcome to Tableland Talk for 2024, a local newsletter I edit for our small community.
Watkins walk
Watkins walk is a Strathbogie Tableland roadside walk through grazing farmland and native forest. One of its other attractive features is the high conservation value roadside vegetation including various towering species of eucalypt.
Such roadsides are critical local biolinks for flora and fauna. There is plenty to see and wildlife sightings are common.
This is a little trafficked smooth gravel road and Strathbogie Tableland is quiet. You can hear cars approaching from some way off. It is pretty safe walking. However, it still makes sense to stick to the right of the road so you are facing any oncoming vehicles that do appear.
Click this link Watkins walk to the map I have created on http://www.walkingmaps.com.au
Tableland Talk December 2023
Here is the last issue of TT for 2023. TT returns in February 2024.
Tableland Talk November 2023
Tableland Talk October 2023
Walking in the evening
I'm walking in the evening smelling all the sounds I'm strolling through the gloaming Doing my enchantment rounds I'm catching all the moonbeams and putting them in my pocket Remembering fondly daydreams Preparing days last docket The path is lit so brightly in silver and dappled grey The water sprites dance lightly on moonlit water spray And where the cascading creek pools calmly at my feet it reflects the Milky Way I'm walking in the evening Hearing all that I can see I sense the bobuck in the tree before the bobuck senses me A tawny frogmouth silhouettes against a star bright sky With silent flight of no regret his dive is only heard by eye White shades of cockatoos perch ghostly in pairs aloft Crests rising to the "Who? Who?" of the barn owl in near croft A mother koala briefly joins me on her own purposeful path Her joey clinging grimly to her shoulders makes me laugh And then a cool spring breeze tousles my hair as if to please and praise my meandering task I'm walking in the evening touching scents borne on air I'm feeling all I'm feeling I'm shedding care by care Honeysuckle's sweet subtle breath permeates all around Bullrushes whisper secrets kept Chocolate lilies abound The swamp gum rustles above me The peppermint towers high The snow gum looks so lovely as I tread quietly by Flowering gums are tipped with fairy tutus The manna creaks as it sways All sprinkle the night with eucalyptus scent whispering to the wind, “Australian bush” they say And then on the horizon I see my home It calls me from my roaming To sit in darkness without a sound I savour all the night has shown me while walking in the evening
This week the d’verse prompt is from Lillian. She asks we poets to, “Take a walk with me.” You can view the full prompt here https://dversepoets.com/2023/09/05/take-a-walk-with-me/ I have chosen to rework a poem from a while ago that reflects on walks in the evening near my home. I hope you enjoyed walking with me.
Save our Strathbogie Forest (SOSF)
On Sunday we gathered at the giant Messmates in Strathbogie Forest to launch the Save Our Strathbogie Forest Action Group’s chuffed.org crowdfunding campaign. This campaign is in support of the Save Our Strathbogie Forest legal challenge to stop DEECA and FFMV burning endangered Greater Glider habitat. Strathbogie Forest is amongst the best Greater Glider habitat in the country. These Victorian Government Departments want to burn precious habitat there without reasonable justification.
You can donate here: https://chuffed.org/project/strathbogieforest-legal-action
Strathbogie has SPOKEN
Tableland Talk April 2023
Tableland Talk, September 2022
For those interested, here is the link to the small local newsletter I edit each month: https://strathbogie.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/202209_nws_TT-1.pdf
Link
Here is the link to the small local Newsletter I edit for our small Strathbogie Tableland community Tableland Talk July
poetography.ink 