> I never met him, but Judith, yeah, & youve caught her....
>
> Doug
When Andrew also asked after Tom Shapcott, who is even older than his wife Judith, I realised I was under- informed. Such a stalwart of Australian writing, and a few years ago deprived of his voice and more by I think a stroke. Caring for Tom was only part of her responsibilities as she (when last met up with) also had a centenarian mother to see every day, and also stay with as she was still in her old flat then.
Dimitris was sad for Tom who doesn't appear in the latest huge anthology of Australian poetry despite his many books and old reputation. Ach, anthologies!
Max
On 11/01/2012, at 7:23 PM, Patrick McManus wrote:
> Thanks Max Wish I was a ball of energy -ah my old Vespa days P
>
>
> Good to see they're still kicking! Judith was always a ball of energy.
> How's Tom now?
>
> Andrew
>
> On 11 January 2012 06:37, Max Richards <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> Two Seniors
>>
>> (Judith Rodriguez, b.1936, &
>> Dimitris Tsaloumas, b.1921)
>>
>>
>> Vigorous poems she wrote -
>> ditto her body language.
>> She roused her students -
>>
>> all can be creative!
>> New then to her country,
>> I felt she stood for Australia..
>>
>> When our summer December
>> party lagged without
>> a bottle-opener
>>
>> she bit off the crown caps
>> passing round the beer
>> that might inspire us further.
>>
>> *
>>
>> At her house when I met
>> Australia's great Greek poet,
>> Dimitris Tsaloumas,
>>
>> of Leros and Elwood Vic,
>> though I towered over him,
>> his eyes burned into me
>>
>> as if asking was I serious enough?
>> I hadn't been but might.
>> His voice was intense, but kind.
>>
>> *
>>
>> Hospitalised once
>> for something dire,
>> when visited by me
>>
>> her bed was empty -
>> she'd absconded
>> with her drip-feed bottle
>>
>> to judge some urgent
>> poetry competition
>> for the promising young.
>>
>> *
>>
>> Celebrating his eightieth
>> at a large gathering
>> he'd excused himself from,
>>
>> she hobbled forward
>> on her stick to the lectern,
>> praised him with force
>>
>> and large gestures -
>> strode back to her seat
>> without her stick.
>>
>> Now he's ninety,
>> I'm about to make my visit
>> of homage to his Elwood
>>
>> address, its Greek-
>> picture-haunted rooms,
>> I'll ask: Dimitris,
>>
>> are you still not only
>> writing your worlds
>> but touring Leros on your Vespa?
>>
>>
>> Max Richards, b.1937
>> Doncaster Vic
>>
>> p.s. DT says he now has a four-stroke Vespa, easier for him.
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Andrew
> http://hispirits.blogspot.com/
> http://www.mullamullapress.com/QWERTY
> BLUE ROSE enovel avail. at Amazon, Smashwords and
> http://etextpress.com/books.htm
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