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Leaf Searcher
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Leaf Searcher |
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Gene Senior Member
since 2000-01-23
Posts 935Colorado, USA |
Please read this list of terms first, for background information-- Aborigine – The indigenous peoples of Australia—the word Koori is sometimes preferred. Muniong (Munyang) – Aboriginal name for the Snowy Mountains. Murray, Tumet, Murrumbidgee, Snowy – Rivers on the slopes of the Muniong. Last of Lands – A term, meaning Australia. Shaman – A medicine man. Kookaburra – Bird native to Australia. Cuck’unda – Aboriginal name for the Laughing Kookaburra. ---------- "Leaf Searcher" From where the Muniong’s highest stand; Where the Murray, Tumet and Murrumbidgee flow; Out of the Last of Lands, there came a man, Whence a legend grows: As the south winds blow though Tasman Seas, and the clouds halo the moon with a killing frost breeze; Along a river, Snowy, in late of Autumn’s freeze, an old shaman Aborigine shivers on bended knee as he takes retreat beneath a barren tree. As the night weaves the blanket of the earth that it warms, the old man covers himself with leaves, which he adorns. Protected from an impending storm, only the tip of his oversized nose, slightly exposed, betrays the shape of his human form. Then, a Laughing Kookaburra lands upon the branch on which one defiant leaf stands proud, holding on tight until things thaw out. As the cackling Cuck’unda from down und’a, stretches his neck in an attempt to peck the leaf from its perch, it causes the leaf to fall towards earth, landing precisely upon the proboscis robustus, once barely publicus. And so, the weary traveler sleeps, now completely concealed; determined not to awake until spring’s yield. But, in his dreamtime walkabout quest, unable to rest, he wanders forever lost, never to be found; not even a trace, when the thaw reveals the ground. And, the Kookaburra laughs with a perfunctory sound, as the shaman’s spirit walks the earth each year in search of the one leaf that made him disappear. ----- Gene |
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| © Copyright 2000 Gene M. - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Little_Spyro Senior Member
since 2000-01-09
Posts 659San Diego, CA, USA |
Wow, Gene, this is probably one of your best works yet! Great rhythm and rhyme, and incredible use of words! This is great!  Hope to see more like this!!  Little Spyro T. Dragon |
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Janet Marie Member Laureate
since 2000-01-22
Posts 18554 |
WOW is right..Gene this is excellent..perfection of poetry..creative, imaginative and full of imagery. very nice!! jm ...every moment of every day... your still with me in every way. every poem and song... every rhyme and verse... your still here...like a beautiful curse. janet marie |
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Munda Member Elite
since 1999-10-08
Posts 3544The Hague, The Netherlands |
Gene ! I am in total awe!!!  I could even hear the Kookaburra ! Great poem Gene.  |
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childomine Senior Member
since 2000-01-25
Posts 818st. petersburg, FL |
Thanks for the intoduction with the meanings of the terms. This is an awesome poem. The mountains, the cold, the leaf.... everything seemed so vivid. I wanted to touch the hand of the Shaman and feel his mystique. "as the shamnans spirit walks the earth..." "searching..." gave me chills. |
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Denise
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-08-22
Posts 22648 |
Very creative, Gene! Wonderful tale! Denise |
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Sasikat Member
since 2000-02-02
Posts 290St. Petersburg, FL |
Gene, This is magnificent. I could picture so vividly every word and felt as if I were the one observing. Sheila |
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KimW Member
since 2000-03-04
Posts 268Medford, Oregon, USA |
Incredible sense of "being there" rather then reading. The imagery, expression, use of words were very "vivid." Kim |
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Jonas Senior Member
since 2000-03-03
Posts 796Oregon |
This is wonderful gene. I've met several poets from Australia and I love the descriptions of their land that they include in their poetry. Bravo! Simple words from a simple guy |
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Gene Senior Member
since 2000-01-23
Posts 935Colorado, USA |
Thanks, Everyone. I'm glad you liked it. I had fun writing it. Jonas, I'm not "The Man From Snowy River." I'm the man from Colorado. I just like Australia. Oh, I like your Tasmanian Devil. ~Gene [This message has been edited by u_gene (edited 03-05-2000).] |
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passing shadows Member Empyrean
since 1999-08-26
Posts 45577displaced |
awesome piece! |
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