Spring has Sprung!

Perth Daily Blog: “Seduced by the Yellow”

This week, we paid our bills by selling our wares at the 50th Dowerin Field Day on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

A small country town with a normal population of 352,  Dowerin explodes with the event, attracting about 20,000 people  from all around the South West and maybe further.

Held in the middle of nowhere  – actually on the edge of the Australian Wheatbelt,  farmers flock there to check out the latest equipment.

Some fly their planes in, those in the know stay on farms which suddenly transform into B & B’s while others (like us), drive the 150 km there and another 150 km back on small country roads, each of the three days.

The planes are no surprise given that many farms are the size of small European Countries!

My sister-in-law also took the trip (not by plane but enjoyed our Winter countryside) and did a wonderful job of covering the event on her Perth Daily Blog.

Here in Western Australia, tomorrow is officially the first day of our Spring – also the beginning of the Kings Park Spring Festival.   

As the article says, when I first arrived I made a bee-line for the beautiful park overlooking Perth City and the gorgeous Swan River, but it looked very different then and I can’t find the photos… so I’ll share a poem instead.  🙂

 

Sun kissed

 

Like a cobra,

I am coiled

ready to strike

any who dare

limit my growth.

 

Germinating new

species hidden

deep in the earth

waiting to bloom

colored with sun.

 

Tension-ed taut,

fire ravaged, I am

nature harnessed

before springing

back to life.

 

Frances Macaulay Forde © 2012

 

#FrancesMacaualyForde  #SpringPoems  #KingsParkPerth  #SwanRiver  #Spring  #Nature  #Poetry  #Poems

 

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Art As The Spark: “distain”

distain

 

Your contempt for my feelings

broke something inside – no, not

my heart, it was my soul…  You

 

judged me harshly, unworthy –

beneath your regard. In total

disgrace, I slunk away to heal.

 

I needed to breathe deeply,

to absorb the pain, swallow

before wearing silk again…

  

Frances Macaulay Forde © 2011

ART:  Jessica McCallum

 

#FrancesMacaulayForde  #JessicaMcCallum  #ArtAsTheSpark  #Romance  #Love  #Poems  #LovePoems  #ArtPoems  #Art

 

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Doll Hospital

Isn’t it great that you can still have dolls repaired? In South Sydney, the  Chapman family  have been bringing favorite toys back to life for 101 years.   I love the idea of NOT being disposable…  wish we’d all go back to favorites again.

My daughter’s favorite was a pink and white Panda made for me by a grateful patient when I was nursing in Harrogate General, way back in 1969. Only natural that I would pass it on to my beautiful daughter in 1976.   Before I traveled to Ireland in 2002 I carefully packed it away with lots of stuffed toys in a storage box marked especially and guess what – that was the one that went missing.  Wish we still had the panda because I know my little grandie Bella, would love it!

The whole subject reminded me of a very favorite poem by Pam Ayres – I’ve been a huge fan for many, many years 🙂  I used to watch her TV program but also went to her concert here in Perth many years ago and presented her with a golly which I’d made, for her new son.  She kindly wrote back from UK to say he loved it – “has become a favourite!”  

And that favorite poem (just one of very many) by Pam?   ‘Dolly on the Dustcart’   read by Pam Ayres.

 

#FrancesMacaulayForde  #PamAyres  #DollyOnTheDustcart  #DollsHospital   #Recycling  #AustralianDollHospital #poetry

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Poetry Postcard: Trust

A while ago, I was introduced to the French Cinquain and fell in love.  The rhythm and structure seems to flow easily for me, so I wrote quite a few.  This one is from a series of five written after a workshop in 2002.

The photo was taken when my sister-in-law Hazel and I had lunch in a little restaurant on South Perth foreshore, with views over the mighty Swan River to Perth City, on a foggy Autumn Day.

 

#FrancesMacaulayForde  #PoetryPostcards  #Cinquains  #Poetry  #FrenchPoetry  #Trust  #Romance  #LovePoems  #SouthPerth  #PerthCity  #SwanRiver

 

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Tulip time!

I’ve just found out Araluen is in bloom early for the annual Tulip Festival, so I thought I’d share some photos taken way back in 2004.

 

It’s a nice drive up into the Perth Hills to Roleystone and apart from the gardens, the little restaurant does the most amazing Guinness Steak Pie!

Time to pay them another visit  Araluen Botanic Park … 

 

#FrancesMacaulayForde  #Flowers  #Tulips  #MassPlantings  #Araluen  #TulipFestival  #BotanicPark

 

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Doors closing…

I learnt an embarrassing lesson yesterday; don’t rush!

I hit the ‘publish’ button like I would the ‘enter’ button – big mistake!  Unconcerned, I thought I’d just correct and ‘Update’ which, of course, I did in seconds.

Embarrassingly the preview of the blog post (goes everywhere!) stayed as the original un-edited version although when ‘read more’ was clicked, the corrected version appeared!

Lesson well and truly learnt!  Writing and posting when you’re tired or in a rush – just don’t do it!  I do sincerely apologize.

Hopefully I can make amends with a poem written before love returned to my life.

 

DOORS CLOSING

How often has the door closed on opportunity for me?

And how many times have I shut it?

 

‘Well, open it again.’ You say.  Not so easy

when it is wedged with prejudice.

 

Locked with lies about your femininity

and jammed with judicial errors.

 

I am an opportunist and I do believe

as one door closes, another… you know.

 

But sometimes, for my sanity, I take

the easy way out.  My heart’s the same.

 

I’m not brave in letting that door stand ajar.

The solid barrier protecting my comfort zone.

 

A jack-hammer wouldn’t be heard now!

I’m deaf to desire and numb to need.

 

The woolen blanket around my feelings keeps me warm.

I lock the door, pocket the key, work and love in secret.

 

Frances Macaulay Forde © 2000

 

#FrancesMacaulayForde  #Poem  #LovePoem  #Poetry  #Romance  #ComfortZone  #Desire  #DoorsClosing  #Lessons

 

 

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Coming home… 2003

When I first returned to Perth in Early December 2003 after living in Ireland for 14 months, the Jacaranda outside my kitchen window was in full bloom!

Hubby and I took a ride into the city via the Sunset Coast Tourist Drive, along the coast from just north of my suburb to Fremantle, back along the Swan River (home to our black swans) and into Perth City.

My Jacaranda

Views on our 5 min drive from our house, along Ocean Reef Road,  to the sea.

West Coast drive and our many white beaches…

Whitfords Avenue has multi-million dollar beach side homes on it and a huge shopping centre. About 7 mins drive from my house.

West Coast Highway part of the Sunset Coast Tourist Drive to Fremantle and South.

Swan River meets Leach Highway from Fremantle and Kwinana Freeway to the city skyscrapers in the distance.

Now we’re on the Kwinana Freeway, almost into Perth City, still driving next to the Swan River.

Sailing on our beautiful Swan River at sunset.

Freeway in South Perth just about to cross the Narrows Bridge and into the city with iconic Kings Park on the left.

Kings Park Memorial where the Anzac Ceremonies take place every year, overlooking the Swan River.

About to turn down, into the city… must take some more photos and this time, show you how our beautiful city sits next to the Swan, sparkling in the sunshine.

In the city now and looking up.

Hay Street Mall in December sunshine with its very modest Christmas Decorations, 2003.

It was good to see skyscrapers again…   Cork didn’t have any really tall buildings in 2003 – part of it’s great charm.    Although 11 years later, the Perth skyline has changed and I should do an update…  If you enjoy this post, I will.

The multi-million dollar houses on Whitfords Avenue are the opposite of my little 3 x 1.  A different postcode 5 mins away, off the same Ocean Reef Road, means they have sea views and beaches at their feet.  I keep saying to hubby, if we just put another storey on our house, we’d see over the sandhill to the sea. too!   Ha-Ha.

 

#francesmacaulayforde  #PerthCity  #FremantleWA  #WestCoastHighway  #SunsetCoast  #KwinanaFreeway  #SwanRiver

 

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‘Searching for Sugarman’

QUOTE:  “Rodriguez was the greatest ’70s US rock icon who never was. Momentarily hailed as the finest recording artist of his generation, he disappeared into oblivion – rising again from the ashes in a completely different context a continent away.”  SBS Television will show the much-lauded documentary on Sunday night at 8.30pm.

I grew up in Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia and recognized a song in this documentary from my youth.   My husband was born in Durban, South Africa and played professionally in bands for many years in SA and Zambia.  He also recognized Rodriguez and his songs from Cape Town university days when the lyrics were a national anthem for youth in a rapidly changing South Africa, swamped in “Apartheid”.

QUOTE:  “In the mid-1970s, Rodriguez’s music gained airplay in Australia and New Zealand and he toured here finding limited success in the late 70s, returning in 1981 when Midnight Oil joined him for some shows.”   It’s been announced he’ll be  touring Australia  this year.

The Oscar-winning documentary “Searching for Sugarman” is beautifully made with great respect and admiration for the undeniable talent of  Sixto Rodriguez – an homage to a counter-culture hero they thought had killed himself on stage.   It has many lessons…

Here’s the YouTube link to the full video with subtitles:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xg60JmFhTMs&list=RDXg60JmFhTMs#t=8 

 

#francesmacaulayforde  #sugarman  #Rodriguez   #recordingartist  #southafrica  #apartheid  #rockicon  #northernrhodesia  #zambia

 

 

 

 

 

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Innocence

Before we met,

my heart was young,

it showed its reactions

to everyone.

 

Worn on my sleeve,

it was easy to know,

easy to see feelings

come and go.

 

But since we’ve met,

my heart’s a closed door,

no-one knows the hurt

or happiness anymore.

 

Not even you – and you

hold the key but what

is the good when

you don’t love me?

Frances Macaulay Forde @ 1965

#francesmacaulayforde  #1968notebook  #lovepoems  #love  #poems  #poetry  #romance  #follow  #instagram  #twitter

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Sunrise driving…

Artwork © Jessica McCallum

ROAD RIBBONS TO FOREVER

still cold the orb lay low

quick glimpse then hidden

motor climbing to drown

crow’s haunting early wake-up call

blades of light chop dust and dirt

wheels trundle

bodies bounce

over troughs and ridges

 

silent stands of hewn wood

strangled by checked metal string

strung as divided zones

of labour or fields of food

for slow-moving wool-balls

unaffected by those

who pass once in a changing

between ghost gums

wind-dancing

 

don’t press the soft start

for raucous interruption

no technological intrusion

to spoil the quietness

of morning impressions

 

but watch silently

anticipating adventure

 

time seems to slumber

in camera shots

too fast moving past

before fully absorbed

an erect neck now tired

of turning back with regret

high sun and heat

decreasing

petrol gauge as low horizon

never nearer not revealing

road ribbons to forever

 

our slumberous gazes

glazed with scenes

of shadows lit

by white-moon shafts

squinting at the yellow

twin-tunnelled path

flexing muscles cramped

shivering with want

the first new glimpse

of home

 

Frances Macaulay Forde @ 1999

1st published  ‘Hidden Capacity ~ a poet’s journey’, Ireland, 2003.

 

#FrancesMacaulayForde  #Poem  #Poetry  #WesternAustralia  #SunsetDriving  #HiddenCapacity

 

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