Some of the happy poets in paradise!!!

A poem written almost to the metre of The Man From Snowy River and a few of the words have been borrowed as well!!

Movement at library. 

There was movement at the library for the word had passed around

that the bolt for honest humor had run away

It had fallen down a level was it worth some wild applause

and all the scribes had gathered on the day.

Some of the tried and true writers from group’s both near and far

had penciled in their words over night

for such scribes love comedic writing where puns are near and far

and the hardy writers know just what is right.

There was some toilet humor; the type we love down at the pub

and a little decency could have been on show

But few can write so cleanly when the challenge is really up

few can go where Hayes and Hartin often go.

And The Banjo of Bonogin came down to lend a hand

No better wordsmith ever held the reins

For never coarse words come from him while the pen is in his hand

For he learnt to recite with oh so sweet refrains.

And Jeff was there, a struggling poet I say that in the least

He was something of an infant undisguised

With a touch of larrikin in him, two parts Aussie from the east

And such are in the literary world unprized.

He was unmetered tough and wiry- just the sort that does not lie

There was sincerity in the words, which he read

And he bore the badge of founder from many years gone by

And in the right direction all of us he has lead

Neither slight nor needy, one could doubt his leading way

And the others said, “As founder he will do

For a long time in the chair, we’ll keep him this way

For being leader is a time consuming job to do.

So he stays on sort of blissful, standing as every poet’s friend

“I think we ought to let him run,” they said

“We warrant he will lead us and he’s not bad with the pen

for both his heart and soul goes in his lead”.

So he hopes the poets will deliver, and up their Aussie pride

Writing lines twice as funny is twice as tough

Where a poet’s pen strikes the laugh line from the wit held inside

Diplomatically I hope that’s good enough.

And the intention of this author is to benefit their home

Where the words come from within the dream

I have seen full many wordsmiths since first I wrote a poem

But nowhere yet such wordsmiths have I seen.

Jeff Goudy 16/03/2014. The Tenth Anniversary of Poetry in Paradise.

Thank you everyone for Ten Years with Poetry in Paradise, heres the journey!!

Thank you everyone for making our group such a success. I was dismayed at other groups I joined and never really fitted in anywhere much in my life. I started the group myself, the solo attendant for the first three months at Christabella’s Wine Bar and Café in Harbour Town (now gone) on Sunday March 21st 2004. In June 2004 I moved to the Evergreens Garden Restaurant in Bundall (now gone). I put flyers in every book shop from Runaway Bay to Burleigh to Tamborine and on every community notice board I could find all over the GC. I went to every school on the GC in the same area. I placed adds in the Bulletin and the GC Sun and went to all the local radio stations but not much interest was shown, then Jennifer Eden from ABC Coast FM 91.7 let me recite a poem on the radio and the first audience started to attend. I became a regular on her morning show on the Saturday prior to the recital and she let me recite a poem each month. I registered the Name Poetry in Paradise in November 2004. After about a year of searching I found a new home at The Old Teahouse Café in Mudgeeraba in 2005 and remained there until early 2010 when Brian and Dianne sold it and the new owners didn’t want us to continue there. We then moved to Jambo Java coffee shop run by Dave for four or five months in Labrador/Southport. Then finally after much more searching we settled into our newest home at the GCCC Southport Library thanks to Andrew the manager at the time, our first recital there was held the on Sunday the 20/06/2010. Thank you everyone for making all this possible and for your continued support. A special thank you goes to the foundation member’s that have been with the group for almost as long as I have; Bob, Joan, Gloria, Dancin Dan & Christine, Trish & David, Manya, Cedric, Bette, Lydia and Sue. Many thanks also to foundation members Jean, Judi, The Banjo, Eoin, Vincent, Alex, Roger, and Lisbey. Thanks to all the other great poets, Ngaire & Rob, Joyce & Mac, Marta & David, Margeret & Ray, Alan, Graham, Paul M, Paul K, Judy B, Judy K, Kathy, Peter & Lisa, Janette, Sylvia, David, Sandra, Sandy, Cathy & Rod, Sandi, Ted, Rhonda, Jenny, Pat, Don, Di, John, Damien, Rita, Ibolya, Amaluce, Pammy and anyone else I forgot to mention. I look forward to our twentieth anniversary recital with you all!!

Poetry Report for our Tenth Anniversary Meeting held on the 16/03/14 at GCCC Southport Library.

Poetry report for March 16^th 2014. Our tenth anniversary of Poetry in Paradise.

Sunday saw eighteen poets sharing the achievement of our ten years of recitals. Everyone received a lolly or two, a certificate of support and gratitude and a special Tenth Year Name Tag. The lollies and Certificates were well received but general consensus was to keep the current name tags and file the new ones. The optional theme was Farm Life and the Optional first line was “I never should have…….”

Several apologies for not being able to make it were read out on the day, including “The Banjo”, Vincent, Kathy, Jean, Sandra, Lisbey, Paul M, and Marta & David. We had a new poet recite that has been before but had not recited a poem, another Sandra!! (3 now). Judy J, also attended for the first time and recited on her first visit, well done ladies and welcome to our group. Alan thanked everyone that attended the Earle Haven recital and said that he received very favourable reports from the locals and they all loved the afternoon and want us back another day.

Bob started the day with his farm life themed poem on the subject of a discussion over a few coldies at the local and the ‘Bushies’ telling what the city people are missing out in life, a great poem full of Aussie sentiment and true blue character. He then told all about the things he should never have done like sky diving, Captaining a Rugby League team, snow skiing, water skiing, motorcycle racing, occasional drinking bouts and so many other things, but he fondly concluded if he didn’t do all that he wouldn’t be the Man that he was, standing at the podium spouting what a great ride it has been and how he wouldn’t change a minute!! Bob closed the day as is customary with his third poem, it was a funny poem about six naked ladies at the Nursing Home and he got everyone up and laughing!!

Joan recited her poem titled “An Outback Cattle Station”, a wonderfully descriptive piece about her life in the NT, her highs and lows and the wonder and beauty of nature in the outback. Her second poem was on the theme ‘I never should have’ as she told of riding a horse at 15 years of age and not wanting to fall off so she hung on for her life, in doing so she injured her spine and had to be flown to Sydney, but in Joan’s usual positive fashion she found something good in the experience and it set her life a on a new and exciting course at the time. Her third poem was about ‘dancing’ horses and watching her sons grow up riding and becoming men that she is very proud of and loves so dearly.

Judi shared her thoughts on the theme also with questioning why we as humans spend so much time dwelling on regrets and what may have been when we should focus on what is and what is still possible, look for the good and enjoy every moment for life is far too short. Her second poem is one that she has penned for a recital to be read by a ‘survivor’ at the Rally for Life in the park at “The Spit”, a wonderful invitation for Judi to be the vents MC . The poem was about the commonality in the lives’ of survivors of cancer and the loved ones around them and in their lives, a very nice well written poem.

Trish recited a very powerful poem written directly from her heart, filled with emotion and full of the all the things that make our lives great and how the heart does indeed go on, brought the house to tears and was a ‘hard act ‘ to follow. Trish recited her second poem and it was on a past them titled “Tentacles”, a very insightful poem about how much, with the invasion and intrusion of modern technology, we have become so desensitised to the suffering and plight of others, when did this happen and what can be done to reverse this awful sad trend??

Eoin recited his poem to the tune of Advance Australia Fair and it was a great political satire of monumental proportions based on the “Farm Life” topic with the residents of Parliament House in the ACT being the cattle and sheep that squander our hard earned tax dollars!! Noses in the trough!!!! Well done ol’mate.  No second poem as Eoin had to leave early.

Alex recited one of my favourite works by all round artist Tom Waits tilted “Waltzing Matilda, Tom Traubert’s Blues” written by Tom Waits on the subject of the life of an alcoholic and the struggles of day to day existence of those less fortunate than others; and afflicted with this illness. His second poem was tilted “Folklore” and warned of the perils of killing a carpet python and the impact it can have on your run with luck. His third poem was short and sweet titled “A Love Poem”, she got a red tattoo and it said I love you!!!

Margaret, in Vincent’s absence, recited several funny limericks, on various themes, Poor Fred, Pauline from Ipswich, Young Albert at the footy, The Old Man from Kildare, Mary, and the old girl that wore red and purple shoes!! Well received and very funny, recited as Ray looked on with his wonderful pencil portraits.

Ted joined in on the never should have theme and shared his nice poem with us on how many things he shouldn’t have done from shucking oysters to leaving the church once and many others events in his life. No second poem as Ted also had to leave early.

Joyce started with a quick poem dedicated to the greatest game of all, the NRL and the Balmain Tigers.  Her second poem was titled “Old Joe the Drover” a man who lived in the outback where life is tough and the men are tougher, where nature calls and regardless of where you are you can answer even if it’s beneath a eucalyptus tree and right near a red belly black snake, the first time in history that a stomach ache comically saved a man’s life!!! Her third poem was titled “Jimmy Brown” a man from her art group that developed emphysema from inhaling the paints all his life and how it never stopped him and he lovingly painted on till he left this world. 

Mac, as always followed Joyce, with a poem, it was titled “A Famers Life” and spoke of how hard it was for a cane cutter in the arly 1900’s in Far North Qld and particularly harsh on the women of the day, a great poem. His second poem was I never should have written that first poem last year as now he can’t get poetry out of his head and lines come to him all the time, sleeping sitting and even playing golf!!  Mac then snuck in limerick about a rhabdomantist!! His third poem was reminiscing about all the rum he drank in the old days, then as he grew wiser he slowed down to shandies and now that he has completely lost it he is a tea totterer , and how he now notices whathe missed when you are not pissed.

Alan quipped that ‘old poets’ never die they just decompose. His poem was discovered on the WWW written by ANON inspired by IWD international women’s day last week, the poem was about the wife of Clancy, you know the one that had five kids and then went of droving!! How tough it was for her in that period and for Clancy’s five kids!! His second poem was about what he shouldn’t have done and how now he has a peanut allergy and cannot enjoy the many delicious nutty tastes from around the world, his closing statement was  that the only nuts he enjoys now are the clever ones at Poetry in Paradise every third Sunday of the month.

Judy J our newest poet recited her poem that is a tribute to her ex-husband that is living it rough in a caravan somewhere in Australia and living with the difficulties of alcoholism. He is travelling around with his best mate the dog. She then played a CD version of a great tragic poem that was put to music tilted “When one drink is too many and two is not enough”, a poem Judi said won first prize at Tamworth and deservedly so.

Judy B sang her poem also today, it was very funny and was about baking, fashion, and shows and all the ideas people come up with about such topics, well sung and well received. Her second poem was tilted “Bridesmaid’s” and was also well delivered in musical verse, the poor old bridesmaids never get a date and good men are so hard to find and they remained un-kissed!!  Her third poem was about a story she saw on TV about the new epidemic of criminals stealing people’s identity and how she never thought such things could happen.

Tom poem was titled “The Heirloom” a great poem about a husband finding his wife’s diary in the back of a family dresser that was an antique heirloom, he read about her first love in all its details and then questioned her about it as it was obviously not him, only to find it wasn’t her diary it belonged to her Great Aunt!! His second poem was a very emotional one about “My Life Long Lover” and he watched as she drew her final breathe in the silent hours of darkness. His third poem by Eric Vogle about “Nobody’s Moggie” and it was about its sad and catastrophic demise. His final poem was tilted “Little Gomez” about his randy little Chihuahua that mounted anything that came into his line of vision and was doing so until it shuffled off this mortal coil.

Sandy one our new poets recited for the first time her poem titled “Tangerine Lover” a very sweet loving passionate poem dedicated to her Man. Her second poem was titled “The Last Ten Minutes”, another emotional poem shared on the day, about her husband and written on the night that died in 1999. Her third poem was about a great adventure in her life when she lived in the Cape York area for three months with no modern facilities or luxuries, but sadly had to come back the world.

Roger was our final poet on the day and shared the afternoon with Pammy by his side, he recited the Australian Bush Poem by ANON “25 Bob” a true and wonderful poem about life on an Aussie dairy farm before WWII, he was wearing his Prayer hat and was totally in character and voice. Roger recited a second poem titled “It wasn’t my fault” about the day he encountered a native from the planet Nabaroo while traversing in the outback near Birdsville, it was revealed to him that an asteroid was wiping earth off the intergalactic map on 25/12/12; it appears the little green guy may have been wrong.

Farm life 

Get off the tractor stay away from the dam

Don’t touch the rifle let go of that lamb

Don’t scare your Nana no running inside

You’re from your father n not from my side

Hop off that ladder what the hell did you say

Drop all those bullets and don’t wet the hay

Get down from the fence n away from the knife

 Stay out of my way and you’ll live a long life

Don’t hurt your brother what a bad thing to do

Get out of my shed and did you water my shoe

Out of that water tank and down from the tree

The dam is for swimming its not where you pee

Get off the clothesline you’re ruining my head

You’re making my face into permanent red

Put out that fire what are you gonna do next

Let go of that chicken stop wringing its neck

You little mongrel you’re just no good at all

Me buttons are all pushed to right up the wall

Old Blue is cowering he’s guarding his knackers

His tail is all singed from you lightin those crackers

Those words that you painted all over my shed

Horrible and evil I cant believe what you said

The cattle are restless so may slugs in their side

You broke off the barrel and about it you’ve lied

Dad’s medals are missing its blank on the wall

The ol’303 gone somewhere cant find it at all

The lolly tins empty and the beer fridge is too

I’m at the end of me tether its all frayed by you

Go back to the city you’re not welcome back here

We’re goin on holiday for the whole flaming year

10/03/14 Reg ™ No. 1028534 Poetry in Paradise. Jeffrey Goudy

DSMV Demon

The DSM-IV-TR Demon

Into this dangerous world another child was born then from her drug addicted mother she was torn

Her mother fought sometimes and got her back but she was so far lost down the cities dirty track

She wanted to hold her but she knew it wasn't right babies weren't welcome beneath the old red light

She learnt quick and fast and she grew up mean never really a kid never had a childhood dream

Life for street kids it doesn't work out that way for without the John's money there was no pay

Youth detention centres pushed her toward bad foster homes paedophiles helped to make her mad

The child grew or you could say was dragged up wrong at times beaten and battered by her mothers John's learning early the bruising effects of a drunken rage her medical record a timeline of abuse on every page

At twelve heroin found it's way inside her tiny arm her youthful body pulled customers like a lucky charm

The harsh city streets became her only home then she lost her own child just two days grown

Her young life was tough and her life was so cruel battling her way through the hard knock school

Her Mother had died and her baby was long gone her life's story reads like a sad country song

Methadone Cocaine Ice Speed and Crack, she was truly lost down the dark side of the track

Every man that knew her beat her black and blue this way of life was the only thing she knew

She started to steal more, to rob and to bash the John's paid less and the dealers needed cash

Her once youthful supple body began to age  when she lost her beauty she found her rage

Prison system soon became more often her home, raped by men and women beaten and truly alone

a mental illness came she was labelled with a few all kinds of treatments began and some ECT too

Her journey was cast as she moved from place to place her tragedies putting many lines into her once pretty face

Asylums and psych wards places you wouldn't like to be I cant imagine she ever once had the feeling of being free

Stigmatised sanitised labelled and slipping into the cracks living proof of intolerance and all that our society lacks

The 'crazy' lady you see there in the hospital bed looks seventy eight but twas forty five that her ID read

Many now think she is a hopeless lost cause, their criticisms flow sharply but never applause

I see a fighter, a spirit that just will not lay down one that made it through the toughest side of town

Sure she's angry, violent swearing and mad, but look a little closer at the life's she's had

if you or I had to share just part of her song could we have stood up and been that strong

She's faced every hardship every wrong turn rose against the odds didn't crash and burn

now she sleeps peacefully forever beneath the earth I hope her maker knows and values her true worth

Now her tortured mind will finally get some rest for she has while on this earth passed every single test

they told me her daughter finally came along a couple of days late after her mother had gone

For the mother that she never knew she stood and cried proudly with her four children right there by her side

Adopted by a lovely family that gave her a good life a proud Mother now and a loving happy wife

She placed a picture of her family upon her mother’s grave her husbands in the clergy and they know she's been saved

I shed a few tears when I heard and I thought oh boy, then my tears were for her peace and her finding true joy

 Jeffrey Goudy Copyright Poetry in Paradise Reg ™ No. 1028534