Keeping the Culture

100 PAGE BOOK OF AUSTRALIAN BUSH VERSE AND YARNS

BUSH LAUREATE FINALIST 2006

I learnt my first ‘Banjo’ Paterson poem: ‘The song of the wheat’ at the age of 9, and that was the start of a long relationship with Australian Bush Poetry. Over the last 35 years I have performed extensively throughout Australia and have worked full-time in the entertainment and acting industry for over 20 years.

This has led me to all parts of the country and caused me to cross paths with many other performers; performing on stage with the likes of Normie Rowe, Slim Dusty, Smoky Dawson and many others. The last twelve years in particular have seen an amazing resurgence of bush poetry and as such has brought many quality bush poets out on the Hustings. One such poet is a bloke by the name of Merv Webster. A familiar face at many festivals he is one of the hardest working blokes I know.

If working the streets is serving your apprenticeship then Merv and his long suffering lady Chris have well and truly paid their dues. Long after other performers have packed up their swags, you’ll find them out there on the night horse of Bush Poetry. The many awards Merv has won over the years attest to his dedication to the genre of Bush Poetryand the determination to keep progressing as a performer and a writer. His passion of all things Australian and love for the bush and its characters are evident in the ingredients and style of his poems. Ever a thirst for more knowledge of this great country, he is intent on bringing his verse to other Australians and infecting them with his passion.

His works range from poignant poems to make the toughest shed a tear to verse which will bring the sternest undone. Not just verse but also in the area of the great Australian yarn complete with the mischievous, cheeky Aussie we all love. Now delving into the arena of songs, his verse transposes well and will do much to remedy the attempted foreign takeover of our culture and our heritage. His work has also meant he has created a plethora of books and CDs, and I consider it a privilege to be asked to write a foreword for yet another great Aussie book of verse and yarns, appropriately entitled:
“KEEPING THE CULTURE’.

Keep up the good work, mate,

Geoffrey Walker Graham

THE NELLIES -
WHAT DO I TELL MY CHILDREN? -
THE STAND AT STINKYBARK CK -
THE RELUCTANT BOOTSCOOTER -
THE COOEE-BOOROO FROM IRELAND AND THE BOOTAMURRA MAN -
NEDS ENCOUNTER WITH SNAGS -
DEAR OH DEER! -
LEICHHARDT'S IN THE BUSH -
WHO WILL SING THEIR PRAISES? -
RBT BLUES - THE BANCROFT REUNION -
THE MOTHER-IN-LAW CRISIS -
A SIMPLE WORD OF THANKS -
GERTY GRIBBLE'S DILEMMA -
PARADISE WHERE? -
HARD HAT HEROES -
THE BLUE LIGHT ENCOUNTER -
AN OLD MAN’S VOWES -
WHEN THE EVIDENCE WENT MISSING -
THE YOWAH ADDICTION -
CARAVANNING MAYHEM -
I NEVER CRIED FOR ELVIS BUT I SHED A TEAR FOR SLIM -
WHAT FISH? -
OLD JACKO IN THE CITY -
R.M. WILLIAMS - A MAN WHO HAD TRIED -
IT’S NO EXCUSE I FEAR -
I WISH I WAS A CROCODILE -
ROBBY -
GRAN’S LAST WISH -
CHASING BUTTONS -
WHEN 7 RANG THE GREY -
WHEN TIMES GET TOUGH -
SOMETHING FOR STEVIE -
BLUEY’S REFLECTIONS -
A LIFELINE IN THE BUSH -
SEARCHING FOR BILLY -
THE VIGILANTE GRANNY -
WHAT’S WRONG WITH RYME AND METER MATE? -
THE POETS AND THE LADY -
A JOYOUS CELEBRATION -
SAM’S SOLUTION

SUPPORT AUSSIE ARTISTS