JiscMail Logo
Email discussion lists for the UK Education and Research communities

Help for POETRYETC Archives


POETRYETC Archives

POETRYETC Archives


POETRYETC@JISCMAIL.AC.UK


View:

Message:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

By Topic:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

By Author:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

Font:

Proportional Font

LISTSERV Archives

LISTSERV Archives

POETRYETC Home

POETRYETC Home

POETRYETC  November 2012

POETRYETC November 2012

Options

Subscribe or Unsubscribe

Subscribe or Unsubscribe

Log In

Log In

Get Password

Get Password

Subject:

Re: 'Auntie Effie's Gift'

From:

Andrew Burke <[log in to unmask]>

Reply-To:

Poetryetc: poetry and poetics

Date:

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 22:13:48 +1100

Content-Type:

text/plain

Parts/Attachments:

Parts/Attachments

text/plain (101 lines)

Ah, Max, I know the feeling well. A few paintings and prints have landed in
op shops in West Aust just before we left its shores. I couldn't do it with
books because most of those who wrote them still cruise the op shop shelves
and may spot them. (I've found a couple of my signed copies in second hand
bookshops over the years - oh the shameful memories of why I blatantly
tried to influence their view of me!)

Good poem. I'd take out all quality references to the painting - just let
the quandary speak for itself.

Andrew

On 28 November 2012 18:20, Patrick McManus <[log in to unmask]>wrote:

> Max how could you throw away Aunt Effie's painting painted with love for
> you!!
> You heartless dog loving monster
> Cheers P
> Ps one of her awful so called  'botched paintings sold for £1 million
> recently
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Poetryetc: poetry and poetics [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
> Behalf Of Max Richards
> Sent: 28 November 2012 06:08
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: 'Auntie Effie's Gift'
>
>      Auntie Effie's Gift
>
> She'd done the painting -
> I had to thank her,
> and take it with me
> home to Australia.
>
> But truly, it was a botch -
> which was all I'd expected.
> What was my favourite
> Auckland view? I'd told her -
>
> Judges Bay, the tide in,
> St Stephen's white Chapel
> on the sloping turf
> with its settlers' graves.
>
> There they are, the lot.
> And a skyline of trees
> vague, indeterminate,
> though doubtless pioneer.
>
> But her art! her skills!
> conspicuous by their
> total absence!
> She wrapped it -
>
> Uncle Albert had
> already framed it -
> away we went.
> Decades it sat
>
> in the darkest corner
> of several successive
> Melbourne addresses,
> this latest surely its last.
>
> Downsizing requires
> we part, her daub and me.
> Yet - bin it? too cruel.
> Leave at a charity shop?
>
> Most likely they'd bin it.
> Is there a shredder might take it?
> Burning would be the thing,
> if bonfires were still permitted.
>
> Effie herself I last saw
> in a hospital bed
> near death from cancer.
> I held her painting hand, said
>
> I'd speak at her funeral -
> a promise I broke.
> Albert went soon after.
> Her paintings? gone.
>
> That view is still a favourite -
> Judges Bay, the tide in,
> St Stephen's wooden Chapel,
> sloping turf, old graves.
>



-- 
Andrew
http://hispirits.blogspot.com/
'Undercover of Lightness'
http://walleahpress.com.au/recent-publications.html
'Shikibu Shuffle'
http://abovegroundpress.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/new-from-aboveground-press-shikibu.html

Top of Message | Previous Page | Permalink

JiscMail Tools


RSS Feeds and Sharing


Advanced Options


Archives

March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000


JiscMail is a Jisc service.

View our service policies at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/policyandsecurity/ and Jisc's privacy policy at https://www.jisc.ac.uk/website/privacy-notice

For help and support help@jisc.ac.uk

Secured by F-Secure Anti-Virus CataList Email List Search Powered by the LISTSERV Email List Manager