A Fair Fight

Tags

australian poetry, Dennis N. O'Brien, fair fight, poem, poetry

Outnumbered twenty five to one,
No situation tighter.
But in the end ‘twas numbers won,
We got the little blighter.

Copyright © Dennis N. O’Brien, 2012

Offensive Poets

Tags

australian poetry, Dennis N. O'Brien, offensive poetry, poem, poetry

We know that poets down the ages,
Famed or humble, fools or sages,
By their works their message send
And some they please and some offend.
For some find that their verse is rude;
It’s true at times they can be crude.
For those in power, they’ve scant respect,
Politically, they’re incorrect.
They question what they’re told is right
And with sharp words they’re prone to fight.
They’re put in jails and flogged or worse
When tyrants reign and fear their verse
Or when in power the ideologues
Feel that they don’t mesh with their cogs
They try to stop their fiendish rhymes;
Accuse them of dissenting crimes.
But when the press have all been tamed
And all the media are lamed;
When they all whimper with one tongue;
When from their throats the last truth rung;
When all official poetry
Must with the ruling powers agree;
When freedom’s time is near its end;
When poets to the fight must lend
The honest words – to fear, not bend,
Then –
On these rebel bards – depend.

Copyright © Dennis N. O’Brien, 2012

The Rain

Tags

Australian bush poetry, australian poetry, Australian traditional poetry, clouds, Dennis N. O'Brien, poem, poetry, rain

There’s nothing like a rainy day
To chase a farmer’s blues away.
The grey clouds rolling from the east
Like rising foam of swirling yeast
From o’er the distant ocean fled,
To save the grain, to make the bread,
As over hills the sweeping clouds
Rise heavenward like lifted shrouds
And there’s no force that can enchain
Their precious store – so falls the rain.
The misty curtains moist and clean
Are drawn across a dusty scene
And falling down in silver sheets
The parched and grateful earth it meets.

Copyright © Dennis N. O’Brien, 2012

Photo copyright © Dennis N. O’Brien, 2005

The Kangaroo

Tags

alien, australian poetry, Dennis N. O'Brien, kangaroo, poem, poetry, time

An alien from outer space observed the kangaroo,
Returning home he had a tale to tell.
A thousand years passed by and then back to the Earth he flew,
And saw that it was still alive and well.

Copyright © Dennis N. O’Brien, 2012

Image from State Library of Queensland via Wikipedia

Arab Spring

Tags

Arab Spring, australian poetry, Dennis N. O'Brien, poem, poetry

There’s much ado about the Arab Spring.
It has about it such a pleasant ring.
We in the West can really feel exalted
By how the Arab countries have revolted.
But lately I must say I’ve been observing
Developments that really are disturbing,
For Muslim fundamentalists are grinning,
As at the ballot boxes they are winning.
Now revolutionaries are depressed,
They fear the rights they’ve won will be suppressed,
For victory over tyrants quickly pales,
For women forced to hide behind their veils.
And from the past we know the lessons clear,
That those who don’t conform will live in fear,
For there at fundamentalism’s core,
Among the shadows hides – Sharia Law.
The end result’s too early yet too call,
But let us hope the Spring is not the Fall.

Copyright © Dennis N. O’Brien, 2012