Freshness is a way to describe it. I'm not sure I'd want to attribute
it to alien context of the landscape. That may have been true about the
first white poets who began writing here (certainly wouldn't have
applied to Aboriginal song makers). I'm aware of the land's ancientness
but it's where I live, it isn't alien. Europe, the north, is alien to
me. Snow at Christmas is alien to me, even though in this place we've
got Santa Snow sprayed on windows, it's so bally hot here it's becoming
unbearable. (Sorry, heat-induced mad rave.)
As for standin' and drinkin', mate, how else d'you reckon you'd do it.
:-)
Cheers,
Jill
On Friday, December 16, 2005, at 08:35 PM, Roger Day wrote:
> Yes, freshness, a good word in this context, even in the midst, or
> because of, being surrounded by the ancient but dare I say, alien
> lands. As to the Stockman's bar, it's 20 years since I was there -
> that might not be its name. What I do remember is we had to stand to
> drink. Crikey, mate.
>
> Roger
>
> On 12/16/05, Andrew Burke <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> Ah, maybe the best 'Aussie' element in contemporary poetry is the
>> 'freshness'. I see it mostly in non-poets writing poems. When I run
>
_______________________________________________________
Jill Jones
Latest books:
Broken/Open. Available from Salt Publishing
http://www.saltpublishing.com/books/smp/1844710416.htm
Where the Sea Burns. Wagtail Series. Picaro Press
PO Box 853, Warners Bay, NSW, 2282. [log in to unmask]
Struggle and radiance: ten commentaries (Wild Honey Press)
http://www.wildhoneypress.com
web site: http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~jpjones
blog1: Ruby Street http://rubystreet.blogspot.com/
blog2: Latitudes http://itudes.blogspot.com/
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