Young Auckland writers used to talk about beach walking with the elder poet
Kendrick Smithyman.
His knowledge included every shellfish, which to eat, and how to prepare them.
Now that's how one becomes a native in one's own environment.
Like Andrew I've never had what it takes to do the detailed learning.
What did Samuel Johnson say about the streaks of the tulip being beneath the
notice of poets?
I have a friend, Carl, who knows all about potatoes and their varieties - he's a
pomme d'angleterre settled here - and apples similarly.
Pettys Orchard, which occasioned one of my verse snaps, is about to have its
tasting day: 200 varieties they grow, but only market about four.
I'm uncertain about taking Carl along, I might be overwhelmed.
Bushfire relief: we are being encouraged to buy Yarra Valley wines.
Roundstone vineyard restaurant, Steels Creek, where we had a classic long lunch
in December, is no more. But they mean to rebuild, replant...
Max
Quoting andrew burke <[log in to unmask]>:
> Max wrote, in part,
> >Les Murray, who is
> so into the ecology of his world he can register the language of birds
> beasts
> and flowers, even bats.<
>
> Tom Shapcott, prolific Australia poet, anthologist and novelist, once came
> to my home in the hills outside of Perth and, as we walked around the acre
> block, he named every tree, shrub and plant and every bird which twittered
> and flew within range. When I sounded impressed with his great knonwledge,
> he said, "When I was a young man and decided to be a poet I learnt all the
> names in nature's kingdom as my duty." (He could have equally been a
> composer, btw.)
>
> Sadly, to this day, I am deficient when it comes to such naming. Sadly, I
> don't own that house anymore.
>
> Andrew
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