Tag Archives: poetry

The Mountains of Tasmania

I remember learning ‘Mountains’ a piano piece by Peter Sculthorpe, as a young student.

My teacher asked me to do a little research write a note about the piece, so i could understand it better. My desperate search for a background on this piece (without access to the internet) resulted in this…

A poem called “The Mountains of Tasmania”

 

Mountains tall as old as time, look upon the twilight gold.

Dark now, in the fading light, till moon-rise, and a sky so bright.

 

Mountains, tall and dark and steep,

Moon – she casts her silvery gaze on soaring hills, and valleys low.

Streams of shining shimmering light, and shadows dark – mysterious!

She casts her silvery gaze across..

 

Back into time and days of old,

when Man did walk across this land, and looked up at the mountains tall

The rhythm of his life a beat, heard high and low on hills and plains, echoing in valleys low.

The rocks and stones can still recall, though stone-age Man’s long passed away

 

Way back in time to who knows when, no man yet walks across the land.

The earth moves, the mountain quakes. Rocks and stones begin to shake..

Falling down from way on high, tumbling, crashing, groaning, roaring..

While mountains, ever skyward soaring, groaning, moaning, climbing high,

are reaching up into the sky

 

Earth, her labour long complete, the rhythm of her sighs now beat

the beat of life that ebbs and flows, while moonlight glints on mountain slopes

 

A longing for the ages past, with thoughts of life that’s still be

The smiling Moon now moving low behind mountains tall as old as time,

Mountains tall and steep..

Possibilities .. a poem about my dreams for the future

Sometimes i sits, i sits and thinks, of things i’ve never seen,

of places that i’ll never know, of what i may not be.

Of all the possibilities that seem so far away,

of all the lovely winding roads, that lead out from my gate.

 

I dream of possibilities i cannot see awake

Of walking lovely winding roads that seem so far away.

 

I know i’ll never really know what lies along my way,

or what i’ll choose to do, and which new path’s my feet will take.

 

I sits sometimes, i sits and thinks – in wonder, as i wait

for every turn that’ll take me on, to where i’ll be someday

 

One of my favourite books is ‘The Lord of the Rings’ .. and the start of it all ‘The hobbit’. I just love the poetry there, especially the poem by Bilbo Baggins (The road goes ever on and on….)

 

I get it…my rant on driving while talking on the phone

… to the slightly insane driver’s who disrupt traffic, on the Sion-Panvel highway

 

I get it that you have important matters to talk about

So you drive slowly, and chat on your cell phone

 

I get it that you don’t care

That you’re slowing everyone down

That a lot of the driver’s behind you are switching lanes, because you driving at 30km/hr

And they’re stuck driving at a crawl behind you

 

I get it that you really don’t understand

That you’re actually reaching your destination much later than if you stopped, spoke on your cellphone and then continued on your journey

 

I get it that you’re confident

That nothing will happen to you

That you can and do speed up to way above the speed limit, after your call is done

That the cops are too understaffed to stop you and pull you up for driving too slow

That they mostly will not catch you, for driving too fast, either

That you know there are no cameras recording your craziness, so you know you can get away with it

 

I get it that you don’t actually care

That you’re teaching your children to do something that puts their lives and that of other commuters at risk

 

I get it that you really can’t drive

That you race when the road is empty, but crawl in traffic, even when there’s plenty of space

Because you’re scared!

That you should not actually have a driving license, but nobody really cares enough to do something about it

 

So you talk and drive and put on your hazard lights while you do this, thinking it makes it ok

 

I drive patiently behind you, a little bit tired, but resigned

You see, i’ve had years of getting used to drivers like you

 

What i don’t get is the insanity that causes you to do all of this in the fast lane, on the bloody highway!

Dear Change,

I am grateful for your constant and steady companionship

I have not always felt that way about your many many visits, but as time goes by I’m growing to value them. When you visit regularly, I sometimes wish you away, but you know that I really do not mean it

 

You bring me joy and sorrow, rude shocks and pleasant surprises,

I would not have known the joy, if you had not brought me sorrow,

I would not have known I was strong if you had not shaken me up,

I would not have known accomplishment, if i did not accept the struggles you gave me,

Through it all, you gave me hope

 

I am never alone, because you hold on to me,

I remember not to be complacent, because you slap me in the face

 

I am sometimes wise, and welcome you with open arms,

I sometimes forget that wisdom and just want a break

 

I know you are good for me, as you make me grow,

I have learned over time to accept you as you are and go with the flow

 

I appreciate your constancy and I’m not asking you to be any different from what you are.

But would it be so hard, to just give me a call now and then, and let me know you’re on your way to see me?

What do I do

What do I do, oh what do I do
The sun shines so bright and there’s house work to do
The dishes aren’t done and the floor is not mopped
And I want to go to the coffee shop

I don’t see the papers that need to be filed
The bills to be paid can wait just a while
The sun shines so bright and it’s lovely outside
I know what to do – I’ve just got to get out

I call up my friend, say I’ll meet her for tea
Or coffee and cake at Java Bean
We talk and we laugh and we have a nice time
Now, it’s eight in the evening, but I’m in the mood

To wash the dishes and mop the floor
To do all the things that need to be done

I’ve had a nice day and I did it my way
I’m happy to work at the end of the day