A bunch of passionate bush poets from across Australia will take the stage next weekend to compete in the annual Queensland Bush Poetry Championship presented by Beenleigh Show Society.
About 22 performers, including 12 from Logan, will recite everything from Australian classics written before 1950, to “modern” and “original” bush poems in this year’s competition, with a total prize pool of $1600 up for grabs in the open event
Last year’s State Champion and retired school teacher Andrew Pulsford will be competing again this year.
Mr Pulsford says he practices poetry with his 90-year-old mother who has onset Dementia, caused by Alzheimer’s disease.
“I’ve read that learning poetry may help in the slowing down of Alzheimer’s so we regularly sit down together and read and recite poetry.
“Currently, she is trying to recall Dorothea Mackellar’s, ‘My Country,’ which she learnt herself at school in her childhood.”
Mr Pulsford says he found his love of poetry when he was a young boy.
“I think I got stuck into it because I was lucky and when I was in year four, I had a really good English teacher, who basically did a fair bit of Banjo Paterson poetry.
“As year four students we were all made to learn ‘The Geebung Polo Club’ and then we started learning other Banjo Paterson poetry.
“I’ve just always liked the old favorites; Henry Lawson and Banjo Paterson, and I talked a lot of poetry at school.
“I also did a lot of poetry with the kids because I just thought it was such a wonderful way to help kids improve their reading and writing.”
Mr Pulsford began performing on the Bush Poetry trail about five years ago and won his first competition in the Novice category at Orange, New South Wales.
He continued his winning streak this year, winning a plethora of awards including first prize at the Royal Queensland Show.
Since then, he has enjoyed the performance side of things, as well as meeting and learning from other bush poets.
“You’ve got to take on a character and you’ve got to tell a story.
“And I think I’ve learnt a bit lately by listening to other poets as well.”
Mr Pulsford will perform; ‘The Sandy Hollow Line,’ by Duke Tritton, ‘Demons and Lambs,’ by Tom McIlveen and an original poem called, ‘Tea-Tree Fred,’ in the upcoming competition.
Local Paul Wincen, who joined The Logan Performance Bush Poets in 2014, will also be competing and says he will be hoping to walk away with a top prize.
“I hope to get a prize or a second or third because I find it encouraging to have a bit of success,” he said.
“I’m going to be doing a Henry Lawson poem called Trooper Campbell and the Ballad Of The Totems by Oodgeroo Noonuccal Kath Walker.”
Reigning Champion and co-founder of The Logan Performance Bush Poets Geraldine King says the prize pool was formed from generous donations by; Bendigo Bank, Logan City Council and politicians in the area including; Melissa McMahon, Bert van Manen, Linus Power and Cameron Dick.
“That’s the most money we’ve ever had, and of course, there’s a second, third or fourth as well.”
The Queensland Bush Poetry Championship is a part of the Beenleigh Muddy River Bush Poetry Festival and will be held from 9am on Saturday, September 10 at the Beenleigh Show in the Phoenix Ensemble Theatre.
