Page 3 - eMuse Vol.9 No.06_Classical

When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in Our First
an Australian country town, it was believed that he had nothing left
of any value. Later, when the nurses were going through his mea-
gre possessions, They found this poem. Its quality and content so Five Star General
impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every
nurse in the hospital. Captain Tom’s a hundred mate, and they’ve just made him an honor-
One nurse took her copy to Melbourne. The old man’s sole bequest ary Colonel,
to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas editions of maga- And as you light the fuse to your one hundredth eMuse… we’d like to
zines around the country and appearing in mags for Mental Health. make you an honorary General,
A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but It’s been a monumental effort Wally, a mighty muscular rendition,
eloquent, poem. And this old man, with nothing left to give to the A marvellous engager, from Wally the Major, and Mary your mate
world, is now the author of this ‘anonymous’ poem winging across on the mission,
the Internet. Your depictions grand of the Great Southland educates like no other,
Cranky Old Man The folk lore and facts and its explorative tracts, bonds us like sister
to brother.

What do you see nurses? . . .. . .What do you see? Your research is ripe with the tenor and type of things inconceiv-
What are you thinking .. . when you’re looking at me? able… incredible… alien,
A cranky old man, . . . . . .not very wise, The drifts from your dredge are the things that give edge to the iron-
Uncertain of habit .. . . . . . . .. with faraway eyes? bark in that wedge called ‘Australian’,
Who dribbles his food .. . ... . . and makes no reply. There’s a wonderment in the worlds that you’ve quarried over time,
When you say in a loud voice . .”I do wish you’d try!” in the tapestries and histories and those set to rhyme.
Who seems not to notice . . .the things that you do. The tall and short stories from our misadventures and past glories,
And forever is losing . . . . . .. . . A sock or shoe? make the hearts of your readership, recalibrate and chime.
Who, resisting or not . . . ... lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . .The long day to fill? One thing that us writers would like to imprint, when E-Muse puts
Is that what you’re thinking?. .Is that what you see? the sinews of our verse views in to print,
Then open your eyes, nurse .you’re not looking at me. When our lines are seen alongside the greats in our trade, it gives
I’ll tell you who I am . . . . .. As I sit here so still, our biros a boost in life’s grand parade.
As I do at your bidding, .. . . . as I eat at your will. Well, your flyover’s in lockdown but your commission’s a cinch,
I’m a small child of Ten . .with a father and mother, Our First Five Star General of E-Muse…. Wally Finch.
Brothers and sisters .. . . .. . who love one another
A young boy of Sixteen . . . .. with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now . . .. . . a lover he’ll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . ..my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows .. .. .that I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now . . . . .I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . And a secure happy home. Editor’s Footnote
A man of Thirty . .. . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . .. With ties that should last. In my bloody minded attitude as a kid in my early days at school,
At Forty, my young sons .. .have grown and are gone, I saw poetry as “sissy stuff” and mostly about the values of other
But my woman is beside me . . to see I don’t mourn. countries — somehow, I didn’t catch up with the likes of Banjo Pat-
At Fifty, once more, .. ...Babies play ‘round my knee, terson and Henry Lawson at that time. But then at a school concert
Again, we know children . . . . My loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me . . . . My wife is now dead. a kid a few classes above me performed “The Play” by C J Dennis. I
was instantly transformed from a dedicated hater of all poetry.
I look at the future ... . . . . I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing .. . . young of their own. With a passion, I have loved Australian poetry since. I read it, per-
And I think of the years . . . And the love that I’ve known. formed a few verses, wrote parodies and a bit of doggerel here and
I’m now an old man . . . . . . .. and nature is cruel. there for years. For most of those years, like many others I’ve met
It’s jest to make old age . . . . . . . look like a fool. since, I thought I was the only half-hearted poet on the planet.
The body, it crumbles .. .. . grace and vigour, depart. Then I discovered the bush poetry movement and realised this very
There is now a stone . . . where I once had a heart. Australian artform was alive and well. For me the WOW factor was
But inside this old carcass . A young man still dwells, huge. The history and culture of my country was alive and well —
And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells preserved in traditional verse and verse still being written today.
I remember the joys . . . . .. . I remember the pain.
And I’m loving and living . . . . . . . life over again. The wonder of it all went on and on. I met people performing and
I think of the years, all too few . . .. gone too fast. writing such great authentic material. I was blown away to say the
And accept the stark fact . . . that nothing can last. least. Among the people I first met then was Robert Raftery. His
So open your eyes, people .. . . . .. . . open and see. style, his insight, and thoroughly researched material impressed me
Not a cranky old man . so much then and it hasn’t diluted an iota over the years since.
Look closer . . . . see .. .. . .. .... . ME!!
Robert, I am humbled and honoured to receive such words from a
Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who man I’ve always regarded as an admired mentor. Thank you.
you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within. Wally
We will all, one day, be there, too!
From the Facebook page of Spin Mampson
May 2020 eMuse 3