Long Waterhole Poems

This is a translation from the poem "Camellia", by Rabindranath Tagore, Nobel laureate Poet from India (1861 -1941) Understandably the story took place in late nineteenth century - early twentieth century Bengal. 



Her name is...

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Once upon a time there was a big old handsome lion
Wanted - for a mate - by every single lioness.
That lion’s name was Leo, and in all his jungle kingdom,
The feline Leo favored was a...

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Harry was waiting at base camp for his party of tourists
hoping that Beverly and her children would not be rowdy.
When they finally arrived, he got them settled in their tent.
Once unpacked they joined him in...

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The long and short of it is . . . forever

                        ...

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It’s Cooper’s Creek we’re crossing here, Willis said to Burke
We need to have a base camp and this creek ought to work
I’ll put it in the journal, November 1861
It’s been four months since we started...

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The Cooee-booroo was Irish, a migrant to this land, 
who fled his native Galway and the grip of famine's hand. 
For fifteen years he'd forged a life 'round Goulburn, New South Wales, 
though sought his...

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the great debate is once again upon us
 let the augments begin
the pro and cons list is drawn up 
        so let’s argue
on who is wrong and who...

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A safari, in an open jeep with an open mind,
To unravel the secrets of the  Kanha forest reserve,
Midst the tall sal trees, our eyes scoured to find,
The elusive majestic striped cat, we've strived to...

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or

The Sexual Vulnerability of the Seventy-year-old Hip

"The greater the sexual risk at ninety, the greater the sexual risk at ninety."
-- an antic Realist antique

*   *   *

In being several eons past the...

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We are off on a long DRIVE to see the famous, re-known big FIVE,
Three hours later at the Kruger National Park we safely arrive,
And cruise among predatory country, beautiful, colorful wildlife,
Full of LIFE the two...

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A wonderful site to be seen in water oh so grand
As crystal clear comes crashing down,  on the rocky waterland
A mist is splattered over all that are near this beautiful site
As they witness the...

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Waltzing Shearer

Out near Dagworth Station during 1894
Where the Waltzing Matilda, Swagman drowned,
Cos he liked them lamb chops nicely browned,
He was only eating the Masters sheep, scoffing em down,
Disgusting said Squatters and frowned, some more,
In 1894,...

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Elephantine Dusk

A herd of elephants stroll step for endless pacing step
Stamp mysterious majesty retreat from their waterhole
Settle for the night marching tusks on silent dust in dusk

Massive majesty blends into the looming dark’s descent
As the...

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Orchard Boulevard
Heavy traffic;
Congested minds


Orchard Road crowd
Seeking diversions;
After hours delight


Beer guzzling cliques
Evening waterhole;
Downtown gathering


Shopping mall ambience
Restaurants fully booked;
Long queues waiting


Shopping spree
Bargain hunting;
Well-earned bonus


Baby boomers
Grey hairlines dyed;
Cluster to chit-chat


Evening stroll
Two old lovers;
Talking in silence


TV dinner recipe
Fruits and...

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It’s a beautiful landscape of Serengeti animal refuge,
Near a parched savannah with skeleton trees, lies a water hole,
You see a beautiful picture of animal kingdom paradise,
Elephants, zebras, Giraffes, birds, and blue wildebeests, all taking a...

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Zebra stripes 
you instantly know what animal it is,
Xanthic  you couldn't call it
white and black are its colours.
Viewing and naming an animal
usually needs a certain knowledge
that comes through reading and observing 
Stripes are more...

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To Understand
          by Odin Roark

How unrelenting the quest
To seek the waterhole
Beyond the mirage
Where the persistent ethereal holds court
Determining survival
Either to perish
Or suspend the next step
Perhaps to...

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A thrilling haul to the waterhole
His chronic thirst to quench
In his favourite crystal bowl
The herd enjoying the cooling of the splash
Caught head down
Couldn’t see what was to come next
Relaxing his high alert

The hooded shadow swooped...

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Warm sun glided across the dewy sky
Guns ready the Maharaja astride his horse
The green forest spread his vast arms
Beckoning hunters from far and wide
The prize, a tiger in his prime
Nerves tingling the men ventured forth
Deep...

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oh how cold
the drift of migrant winds 
unto the strip of lawn, 
their newly planted garden 
now slowly blooming
with jasmines and herbs  that rise
above a pile of flakes.

Will he ever know how 
she tended...

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Seeing the cries of ocean being formed by individual tears.
Observing the lies that deceive itself as passion for one another.
The ground hold no footprints of long journeys into charity.
Is love more than what one wants?
Is...

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Behind the waterfalls
is where they go to die.
To dip their ivory hearts 
in water gems and rainbow mist
one last time....
Remembering,once upon an ancient path
when great gray trumpets walked a line
from waterhole to waterhole.
Nothing to fear...

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Bunyip

Old Bunyip lurked in the billabong
He had a calf like face
Had the body of a seal 
strong magic in this place

Native fishermen caught small Bunyip
One thought to carry it home
Dream time legend says 
Mother came...

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