Ross Hamilton Hill

Nov 27, 2012 ⭐ View statistics (Premium feature)

Walk To Bronte

The darling houses with their gardens of delight
are all done up as if they’re going out tonight.
Birds whistle, like the traffic, hardly noticed.
I goof along, singing songs, my eyes unfocused.

Children run, mothers fuss, its ten to nine.
Real cuckoo chimes the hour; kids form a line.
Cars angle parked beneath the trees are silver dark.
Grills grin, they’re sleekly shaped, cold as a shark.

From cliff tops vast a hazy smog lies out to sea.
Go past the stony graveyard, think of Valery.
Twenty years of silent study then one song.
Such faith unto his muse to wait so long?

At Bronte Baths, the rock washed colours abstractly
run down in lines as fine as filigree.
Old men are nut brown Buddhas in Speedos.
Life chatters on in cafes’ tabled rows.

I rest my legs, scribble this and sip a smoothie.
Girls in short shorts sexy stretch and think they’re groovy.
Of course they are! Seaside summer’s for the young.
I pay the bill, say “thank you, mate,” the bus has come.

About This Poem

Last Few Words: Notes: Valery’s poem is ‘Le Cimetière Marin’ (The Graveyard by the Sea). It’s in rhymed quatrains. Speedos, iconic Australian brand of swimming costume. Smoothie, type of milkshake

Style/Type: Structured: Western

Review Request Intensity: I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back

Editing Stage: Editing - rough draft

About the Author

Region, Country: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, AUS

Favorite Poets: Dylan Thomas, T.S Eliot, Stevie Smith, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Marvell, Herbert, Gerald Manley Hopkins, Rilke, Holderlin, Baudelaire, Verlaine, Rimbaud, Valery, Gregory Corso, Alan Ginsberg, Phillip Larkin, Elizabeth Bishop, Wordsworth, Shelley, Keats, Yeats, Ferlinghetti, Tony Hoagland, Ezra Pound, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Browning, Petra Whiteley, Blake, Thomas Hardy, Syvia Plath, Pablo Naruda, Lorca, Cole Porter, A.E Cummings, Walt whitman, Tennyson, Shelley, Byron, Coleridge, Les Murray, Gig Ryan, Edward Dorn, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Seamus Heaney.

Comments

Geezer

12 years 11 months ago

I like this one...

although I had to read it over a couple of times to get the rhythm. I'm not sure that I would have tried to do it in this form. It does give one a great picture of a summer's day at the beach. I think anyone could see that, no matter if the beach is here or there. Nice job, ~ Gee

Ross Hamilton Hill

12 years 11 months ago

thanks

I wrote this y'day, its still spring but used a bit of poetic licence.

William Saint George

12 years 11 months ago

"Bronte Baths"?

It;s a great thing you made noted some of the things you referenced in the Last Few Words. I get the feeling you're describing something very local, so I find it difficult to relate well to all the references in the poem.

I've got little to say about this one though. But for some instances where I felt your meter was not consistent enough (and it most likely is just me) esp.
"At the stony graveyard, think of Valery.
Twenty years of silent study then one song"
it read like a charm.

Ross Hamilton Hill

12 years 11 months ago

hi William

Bronte's a local ocean beach, a very beautiful area and the 'baths' are on the rocks at the southern end and are well known locally. I'm sure they're be lots of photos on Google. The Waverly Cemetary is on the very high cliffs between Bronte and the next beach Clovelly. It contains the graves of three of Australia's best loved poets. Although I only learnt that today.
thanks for your comments
ross

Ross Hamilton Hill

12 years 11 months ago

Hi

After your query, I looked at the meter again and fixed it a little
thanks again
ross

sueb

12 years 11 months ago

gr8 descriptive poem ross

gr8 descriptive poem ross liked the imagery much enjoyed cheers x

Ross Hamilton Hill

12 years 11 months ago

hi Sueb

thanks for liking

Seren

12 years 11 months ago

Dear Ross

I loved the rhythm and pace of the piece, I felt like I was following you around on your morning ritual

I have actually been to the baths its a lovely area and I had to laugh at the nut brown buddha's I could see them clear as day ... a great descriptive line that one !!

kudos again on another great read

love JC x

Ross Hamilton Hill

12 years 11 months ago

Hi JC

Its still a beautiful spot, I live about 20 minutes walk from Coogee beach (been here 4 months) and am exploring the area walk by walk.
thanks again for your encouragement
ross

Roscoe Lane

12 years 11 months ago

I loved,

I loved strolling beside you as we walked, so descriptive that's what it felt like. Nice poem. Regards Roscoe...

Ross Hamilton Hill

12 years 11 months ago

thanks Roscoe

best wishes
ross