How it all Started
How do you become a Bush Poet? Well it all started way back in the early Nineties. My wife & I and a couple of friends had followed Pat Drummond up to the Australian Bush Music Festival at Glen Innes, NSW, blissfully unaware of the existence of Bush Poetry as a performance medium. Staggering into the Railway Hotel one afternoon in need of liquid sustenance we were confronted with one of the most bizarre sights we had ever seen.
The Pub was thick with cigarette smoke and full of partying "folkies". Upon the bar stood three hefty middle aged men reciting doggerel verse to the drunken masses. I was enthralled. These strange fellows were indeed, Aussie Bush Poets plying their trade.
Within a couple of years I had worked up the courage to read a poem on stage at a "Poets Breakfast" and by the late Nineties I was being hired to perform in my own right.
Since then my life has been completely transformed. Poetry obsesses my every waking hour, and spare time, when available is consumed by research, writing and learning new work.
Bush Poetry has taken me all over the Country, broadening my horizons about "Terra Australis" and its wonderfully colourful citizens & characters.
In closing
I would like to thank the makers of Acropolis & Parthenon Ouzo for their part in the creative process.
Thanks also to the publicans of the following Hotels for their kind service. The Glenmore, The Alexandra, Eastwood, "Hawks", Shark Bar, Pontoon, Cargo, Pier 26, James Squire Brew House, Commercial, 3 Wise Monkeys, Star Bar, Metro, Young & Jacksons, London and my favourite barman in Sydney, Dave at the City of Sydney RSL.
One of Australia's premier Literary events, The Henry Lawson Heritage Festival was held over the recent June Long Weekend in the Central West town of Gulgong NSW. (Yes, the town on the old ten dollar note-remember them?)
Though the heavens had well & truly opened in the local area (weather wise) Bush Poets from all over Australia still managed to make their way to the historic centre for the big event.
The rain managed to dissipate long enough for the regular activities to still take place. These included Busking & Pavement Art Competitions, Street Parades-including vintage vehicles & hot-rods, Market Stalls & much much more. Indoors local vignerons displayed & offered their products for tasting, Henry Lawson's birthday cake was cut in a ceremony attended by town officialdom and locals & visitors alike kicked up their heels at the Bush Dance.
As evening descended on the Saturday, Gulgong's "Opera House" became the centre of attention for the annual Literary awards sponsored by Country Energy & The Land newspaper. Up for grabs those beautifully crafted "Henry" figurines & a substantial amounts of prizemoney. (See winners list attached).
Sunday saw the Hunter Bush Poets officiate a Poets Breakfast & "Just Henry" session where only the masters work was allowed to be recited and the night time concert, "Tales of the Swag" saw Des Kelly & friends present the song, verse & humour of the Australian bush as seen in Lawson's times.
The Festival was also visited by Melbourne school teacher and thespian James Howard who had taken on the persona of Henry Lawson for the weekend and performed in costume on many occasions. It truly took one back in time to see the new "Henry" slouched on a bench in the main street or leaning from the door of a public house enticing fellow poets to join him. Most did.
Organised by the Henry Lawson Society of NSW and run by Secretary Cheryl Peters (and her committee & volunteers) the event is indeed a drawcard for the best writers & performers in the country.
Graeme was indeed thrilled and honoured to win the Adult Literary Award (with his poem entitled "Poles & Wires"-see Lyrics page of this Website for complete poem) and share the stage with other poetic luminaries such as Arthur Green, David Campbell, Ellis Campbell, Ron Stevens, Allan Buggy and other competitors, Vivienne Ledlie, Joyce Alchin, Ian Ridgway & Irene Timpone.
To add to the "Rhymer's" delight, he also picked up a Highly Commended in the Leonard Teale Memorial Performance section with a poem by Peter Willey & Mathew Hobbs entitled "Rhymin Bill from Broken Hill" which is available on Graeme's first CD "Land Ho!"
Henry Lawson Heritage Festival 2007 Competition Results
Adult Written:
First: Graeme Johnson
Second: Arthur Green
Third: David Campbell
HC: Melanie Hall, Ellis Campbell, Jacqueline Winn
Country Energy Leonard Teale Memorial Performance Poetry:
First: Lisa Quast
Second: Terry Regan
Third: Ellis Campbell
HC: Graeme Johnson, Ron Stevens, Tony Price
Other Updated Competition Results for 2007**************************
Man from Snowy River Festival
Corryong Victoria April 07
Aussie Comedy Section
Second: Graeme Johnson
Australian Bush Poetry Championships March 07
Traditional Section
Third: Graeme Johnson
Tamworth Country Music Festival 07
Golden Damper Performance Comp
Established Section
Third: Graeme Johnson