Best Adventuredance Poems
Pickles Graham 1950
In the kitchen of a large sheep station in western Queensland
at Dirranbandi the boss lady was talking to the staff.
She was going to the ball that evening and was parading about,
in her evening wear, and scarf.
Finally it came, her turn to speak to Pickles Graham.
She said, looking down her long nose.
"do you dance Pickles?."
"No missus, I spose"
“Oh” she said "You must dance Pickles?"
Pickles scratched his bonzer nose.
He said "Well yes missus,
I do the Bullockys polka missus, I spose"
"Oh" she said pretending interest, yawning,
"What is it, how does it go."
"Well” said Pickles, lightly performing.
"You grab the ladies and swing them quick
shake them, till dung flies out like bricks"
“spose”
Don Johnson
true story of old Dirranbandi
every so often a moment
will make you think about what
you want or where you have been or what
you wanted to be when you grew up
what if I learned how to
walk a tightrope?
or how to swallow a sword
or how to put on a mystifying
dance of mystery
Perhaps we have already learned these things...
I have learned how to balance many demands,
but not the checkbook
I have learned how to gulp pride and grandma's meals,
but not how to swallow defeat
I learned how to belly dance and how to move in colorful circles
but not how to be guarded and safe and dance in the confines of
this world nor the ones beyond that
joining the circus would help me to improve these skills
and the vaudeville lifestyle would
suit me well
Anyone need a freak?
I burned the candle in a color of glass
Tiffany shade made the light shine last
Pillar of silver with the bit at it’s base
Don’t need a cord to brighten your face
.
I’m under the cover and looking up right
Washingtones dance to my beat at night
George ol’ boy, quite a game you’ve played
The Gal with the smile, IS the lampshade. ;)
Shall we dance ? lol!