Metre courtesy of "Banjo" Patterson.
I was driving in the carriage, that December afternoon.
I heard motorcycles roar. I gripped the reins.
Mr T, the black Fell pony, hated bikes and so his fear
Sent an equal flush of panic through my veins.
He plunged into the collar, all his body turned to steel.
His shoes were flinging sparks, his eyes were blind.
I could steer but couldn’t stop his flight of terror down the road
From the tiger-sounds that followed close behind.
We crossed the bridge in convoy at a terrifying speed,
The stone wall passed an inch wide of our wheel;
I saw a gate stand open so I turned his silly head
And we fled into a wide and empty field.
When he’d put a safer distance between tigers and himself,
He settled in obedience to my hand;
So I talked to him and turned him and I drove him on for home,
Highly charged, but back together; in command.
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Written by Marybarry (237 comments posted) 9th February 2007 |
Team work, I like it.
The type of poem I like...IT rhymes.
patricia |
Written by Phil (6713 comments posted) 9th February 2007 |
Don't think I have my poetry head on tonight. It wasn't until the third read through that I felt the rhythm of this - and it's so strong too. Duh!
Well told little story, can't help but think it might be allegorical.
Phil.
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Rhythms
Written by patterjack (1193 comments posted) 9th February 2007 |
Anything of the ballad style written by The Banjo Of The Bush . whether it be The Man From Snowy River or ( at the other extreme in conversational pace ) Clancy of the Overflow should , i feel , be read in an Awstreyelian bushie's drawl .
I can see where this is coming from , but my Oz background gets in the way of my reading of the content . Patterson took some lovely liberties with scansion .
I liked it !! and not just because it rhymed , which after all is a very silly reason for judging what is or is not poetry
patterjack |
Written by Talisker (1326 comments posted) 10th February 2007 |
Hey Brian, lay off Pat! Its a broad kirk is the poetry, some need rhyme to float their boat, others its blank verse, others still....well, you know!
Anyway, Sue the noo, how d'you do, hope your not feeling too blue. I never knew there were tigers in the lake district! Zoo escapees I presume, or was it the "Beast of Patterdale" or something. Did you now that there were motorbikes called Tiger - hmmmm, that puts another perspective on this fine piece, especially if you plan to publish it in MCN.
I presume this is one from your "Steptoe & Son" rag & bone man period? Nice horsey images, nice story, usual gloss, I always enjoy your stuff. And, for the record, you are nearly as nice as Sweet Elli too!
Oli
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Written by ellipinnock (1753 comments posted) 10th February 2007 |
Mmmm - kudos to you for this one - I can't write in ballad metre and the like to save my life! I liked this and read more into it after rereading the poems either side in the sequence as well - not sure if you intended that or not...
Elli |
Written by fellpony (1608 comments posted) 10th February 2007 |
patterjack - I too hear the aussie drawl under this metre, but I do enjoy Banjo Patterson's elastic verse, and the topic rather reminded me of Man From Snowy River and his tough little bush pony, though my own tale was a little more tame than theirs. This bike-inspired runaway was more severe than most of Mr T's efforts and it did precipitate the second most important event in my life, so it begged to be chronicled.
Talisker - of course there are tigers in the Lake District. Ask any Fell pony. Black cats too..........Large ones, husband has seen one and so has a colleague with whom I used to work. (We have rhinos too, hence Wrynose Pass, har har.)
Elli - oh yes, the link is definitely intended between preceding and following pieces.
The horses ought to have a much bigger part in my poems, but I find there is only so much equine admiration you can put into poetry without getting repetitive.
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