Yes, a gentle ramble of its own, Max. And place names as poems. They are
that, but often also social and historic indicators. In Australia, there
are many faux Aboriginal names, British names commemorating the colonial
powers, and other names speaking of the emotions of explorers: Mt
Disappointment, Mt Hope and Mt Hopeless. We have the wonderfully mysterious
Dead Man's Creek nearby and Daddah Daddah Creek, plus the functional Three
Chain Road.

There must be hundreds more: Lucky Starr mentioned a few in his hit "I've
Been Everywhere, Man".

Andrew

On 7 May 2015 at 09:37, Bill Wootton <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Lovely, Max. Dreamy, naive, surprising. Thumbing your plus-sized Maori's
> tresses. It should be all-over rather than over-all, the tan, is all I can
> suggest for amendment. The length here is justified I think and the
> quatrains roll out apparently effortlessly.
>
> Bill
>
>
> > On 7 May 2015, at 1:36 am, Max Richards <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> >
> > Thumb Indexing
> >
> > In youth I formed a plan:
> > I'd cover on foot the length
> > and breadth of my homeland
> > earning my way as I went
> >
> > by knocking on doors: please
> > hire me to convert dictionaries
> > on the spot for a small sum
> > so they'll open by thumb
> >
> > to the exact page desired.
> > A to Z! Thumb-indexed books
> > had hand-sculptured good looks.
> > Surely everyone admired
> >
> > reference books? Bibles too
> > I thought they'd hire me
> > to improve. From Gen to Rev
> > in gilt tabs inspired me.
> >
> > With such offerings I'd work
> > my way from town to town.
> > North from Auckland, I'd walk
> > to the top tip and back down.
> >
> > Zigzagging to Wellington
> > might take years even hitch-hiking.
> > Despite the country's mountains
> > I leaned towards push-biking.
> >
> > The South I'd keep for summers,
> > popping home at times by rail
> > and ferry, fixing my hammers
> > and chisels at Uncle Dale's.
> >
> > Sleepless nights in springtime
> > I thought it through complete.
> > I'd start when I was fifteen -
> > meantime keep it secret
> >
> > from family and timid folk.
> > I practiced tyre repairs
> > on my first cheap bike,
> > traded it in for one with gears
> >
> > (leaving me short for cash),
> > studied maps, gradients
> > and mileages, coast, bush,
> > camping tucker, cheap ingredients.
> >
> > Chisels I pondered, fingering
> > them on Uncle's workbench,
> > puzzled about their sharpening,
> > postponing the crunch
> >
> > when all got set in motion.
> > Shyly one day I requested
> > a simple explanation
> > of how he'd do it. Blast it! -
> >
> > it took (he said) machines
> > to gouge grooves like that.
> > Punctured, I felt my dreams
> > gouged - unrepairably flat.
> >
> > Yet the rest of my plan
> > remained unwavering:
> > I'd pedal from home
> > steadily covering -
> >
> > discovering - my country
> > length and breadth.
> > On the road! shy
> > no longer, a wealth
> >
> > of adventure before me,
> > every side road explored
> > every sunset savored,
> > every day quite free.
> >
> > Every beach, creek, pond
> > or lake that took my fancy
> > I'd skinny-dip in,
> > getting the best over-all tan!
> >
> > Maybe some girl my size
> > and age would care, dare
> > to join me, admire
> > my single-mindedness.
> >
> > Maori? That might be ideal
> > If she had Maori wisdom -
> > language, places, river, hill -
> > already always at home.
> >
> > We wouldn't need clothes
> > except amongst others.
> > We'd sleep together
> > like sister and brother.
> >
> > I dreamed long beaches,
> > shellfish, driftwood fires,
> > combing her long tresses;
> > at long last, shared caresses.
> >
> > How soon? - sixteen might
> > be better - seventeen? Fate
> > closes in - train for a job
> > or never get ahead.
> >
> > I needed a girl without
> > ties, duties, eyes for anyone
> > but me. Tall order! - but
> > I could see her standing on
> >
> > some roadside near Whangarei
> > Whakatane Wanganui
> > or down Wairarapa way,
> > then mapping with me
> >
> > our epic journey
> > discovering our country,
> > writing down everywhere
> > for place names were poetry.
>



-- 
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