Poems

Bush Poets

A poem by Stuart Chugg

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Somewhere in the vast desert country
Inspirational sounds of the didgeridoo
Distance curdling sound of the Gang Gang
And the mystery of Kadaitcha Dreaming

The bush poets spread their songs of country
Words that form the land and belong, peoples,
Firelight, smoking, spirit, sounds of night
Kookaburra laughs, early morning banter

Bush poets record words indigenous language
Singing, corroboree dance moves, performances
Sounds of Dingo chasing Old Man crow calling
Stars form curtains of twinkling Dreamtime

Bush poets spreading message stick totems
We are the children of the red dust waves
Shifting like windblown oceans' sand spray
guwing holds skin law, ngurra bark canoes

Bush poetry continues, generations of First Peoples
So the singing becomes the legend of Starmen
Their daughters shake country lessons life
Ghosts, echo, night, tree, horrors, afraid

Last time memories of totem custodians
Harsh guwing beats down poetry line waterways
Sacred sites for some men's dreaming and women's business
One day we return to wiyanga country and find the womb

With his poem non-Aboriginal writer Stuart tried to "meld the wonders of my Indigenous brothers with the European feeling. It's a celebration of true family of man in Australia".

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Cite this page

Korff, J 2021, Bush Poets, <https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/arts/poems/bush-poets>, retrieved 8 December 2024

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