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".