Broadwater
Broadwater
Weekend getaway
A welcome respite from town
Away from it all.
Kookaburras call
In the trees above my bus
Announcing the day.
Ducks and swans glide by
On the lovely Broadwater
Beside my campsite.
Under shady gums
Escaping the summer sun
Calm Serenity.
Across the water
Cows and horses graze in peace
In tranquillity.
I build a campfire
In a small circle of rocks
To boil the billy.
My old dogs run free
Pretending to be bird dogs
Chasing birds for fun.
No phone reception
Is a welcome diversion
From everyday life.
Few other people
Know about this special place
And so close to town.
I don’t want to leave
After camping just one night
But home always calls.
by John Hansen © 2019
John Hansen
Longtime poet but not in the traditional technical sense. I enjoy rhyme but like to experiment and dabble in many different forms and maybe even make up some of my own. There is always a message or lesson I want to promote through my writing, for that reason, my poetry generally shies away from the abstract and obscure.
After a lot of procrastinating I have finally self-published my first eBooks of poetry "I Laughed a Smile" and "On the Wings of Eagles" at Lulu.com.Now I find myself branching out and experimenting with short fiction.
I have also been fortunate to have two poems chosen to be made into songs and recorded. The first "On the Road to Kingdom Come" by Al Wordlaw, and the second, "If I Could Write a Love Poem" by award-winning Israeli/British singer Tally Koren.
I am also finding my services increasingly in demand as a freelance writer and I have ghost-written the text for a number of children's books and educational tutorials.
It has taken me many years of searching and restlessness to realise that my life's passion is to write. It saddens me that I wasted so many years not devoting to that, but thinking positively, the experiences gained over those years is now wonderful material for my stories and poems.
I want to try to bring a new focus on poetry and try to make it appealing to a new generation of young people and those who thought they never liked or understood it before.
After a lot of procrastinating I have finally self-published my first eBooks of poetry "I Laughed a Smile" and "On the Wings of Eagles" at Lulu.com.Now I find myself branching out and experimenting with short fiction.
I have also been fortunate to have two poems chosen to be made into songs and recorded. The first "On the Road to Kingdom Come" by Al Wordlaw, and the second, "If I Could Write a Love Poem" by award-winning Israeli/British singer Tally Koren.
I am also finding my services increasingly in demand as a freelance writer and I have ghost-written the text for a number of children's books and educational tutorials.
It has taken me many years of searching and restlessness to realise that my life's passion is to write. It saddens me that I wasted so many years not devoting to that, but thinking positively, the experiences gained over those years is now wonderful material for my stories and poems.
I want to try to bring a new focus on poetry and try to make it appealing to a new generation of young people and those who thought they never liked or understood it before.
Latest posts by John Hansen (see all)
- The Alpha Male, a Short Story for Halloween - October 19, 2019
- We, Three Scary Monsters (or Let’s be Ghouls Tonight) - September 30, 2019
- The Halloween Curse - September 27, 2019
These long haiku are enjoyable to work with and I think it helps in being concise. Great read John! I need a good camping trip! Jamie
Yes, Jamie, you’re right it is fun and does keep the poetry concise. You started the trend here my friend. Thank you for reading and commenting. I do hope you take the opportunity to go camping.
Ah! It is good to know you can get back to nature, John. I miss your farm which I came to know well through your writings. You did well with the long Haiku. I am glad Jamie started this trend, for it is so enjoyable to read. Great work.
Yes, Phyllis. I often miss the farm, so have to get away from it all now and then. Yes, good on Jamie, and glad you enjoyed this.
Awesome piece here John – I learned a new word today “Kookaburras” had to google it…lol..
Thanks for reading and for the generous comment, Kurt. Wow, “kookaburras” a new one for you! They are so common to me that I forget my friends from other countries may not be familiar with them. A nickname for them here is “laughing jackass” because their call is like raucous laughter.
It’s a wonderful feeling to leave the city or farm life for awhile and find one’s favorite place to camp out and boil the billy, what may I ask is that? I’ve heard of billy goats, but surely that’s not what your boiling, or maybe it is:-)) Nature is sure welcoming in this creative haiku indeed John, well done. I don’t think I have the mind to try one, but maybe I will, I tend to write mostly in free verse prose. Some rhyme from time to time. I enjoyed the outdoors feeling here, I have done a lot of camping and cabin cruising the lakes and fishing, those were fun times with my boys. Well penned sir.
Hi Vincent. The “billy” is an Aussie colloquialism. It is an enamel or tin/steel pot for boiling water over a camp fire. It usually has a wire handle so it can be hung on a tripod over the fire or sit directly on the coals. Aussies love our cup of tea or coffee and this was what stockmen etc used to make a cuppa. We actually have a brand of tea called “Billy Tea.”
I lived in the “bush” for more than ten years so now I am in town I still need to get away from time to time. Glad you enjoyed this haiku poem.
Amazing way to reconnect with where we were supposed to go in our life , Back to nature !
I really love this one John !
Keep it up !
Yes, it is amazing to get away from it all and be one with nature. I try to do it as much as possible. I am glad you enjoyed this poem. Take care.
Lovely piece John. Always nice to find serenity and so close to home too. Excellent haiku poetry as well. Nicely done.
Thank you, Paul. Yes, it is great to have somewhere close to retreat to and get away from it all. I appreciate your comment.