ISBN 978-1-923589-14-8
PAPERBACK
ISBN 978-1-923589-96-4
HARDCOVER
Life Out Here
Bush poems from the New England Region New South Wales, Australia
Life Out Here is a captivating collection of poems inspired by the vibrant life in the New England Region of New South Wales. It explores the people, places, and the absurdities that unfold in daily rural Australian life.
From “Life on the Land” to grappling with the “Black Dog,” and embracing the serenity of “Where Tall Timbers Grow,” this collection navigates the emotional highs and lows of country living. Rest assured, poetic license has been liberally applied, and names have been altered to safeguard the innocent. No animals were harmed during the creation of this book – just reputations.
About the Author
I was raised and educated in Armidale, Northern NSW.Growing up, I lived a life most boys dream of – from trapping and shooting, to riding horses and dirt bikes.Life on the land with my mum, dad, brother and sister was wonderful, and it contributed to my love of the NewEngland area.
My first introduction to Australian Bush Poetry came from my father, who would recite Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson on the long car trips from the New England when we visited family and friends.Later in life, I met a station hand named Baden Howe,on a property northeast of Armidale where I grew up.
Baden wrote bush poetry and country songs. I spent hours with him, listening and learning. Those afternoons truly ignited my passion for writing.Most of these poems are inspired by people I have met and events in my life.When I was a kid, living on the family farm and staying at mates’ properties on weekends fuelled my love of theAustralian landscape.
Life has thrown me some curve balls – from dances with the “Black Dog,” to a broken marriage, to battling twice with cancer.During the drought in 2019 and the subsequent bushfires, I gained Australia-wide recognition with my poem Strength in Numbers, which received more than 90,000 likes on social media at the time.I continue to live in the New England area, on our property Elderslie.
I am a family man, with my wife Kylie(Molly), our mixed clan of six kids, and a menagerie ofanimals.I believe all poems should evoke emotions – and that everyone should be able to find both a giggle and a tear in this book.Life out Here in the New England