tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-298334170177578638.post5344181634121030517..comments2023-11-21T13:48:03.338+13:00Comments on Tuesday Poem: Oh Dirty River by Helen LehndorfUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-298334170177578638.post-19305958514094228412013-07-06T22:39:44.187+12:002013-07-06T22:39:44.187+12:00this is nice poetrythis is nice poetryUrdu Shayarihttp://friendlymela.com/forumdisplay.php?40-POETRYnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-298334170177578638.post-61484394801574525482013-07-04T15:58:56.144+12:002013-07-04T15:58:56.144+12:00Great pace and tone in this poem. I like the simpl...Great pace and tone in this poem. I like the simplicity of it -- as Tim points out, the matter-of-fact attitude of the narrator. I like what Penelope says about The Tin Drum, too -- icky but true connection! Those eels... <br /><br />Glad to come to this party somewhat late. Michelle Elvyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00503119577895402738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-298334170177578638.post-47543710358049321432013-06-29T10:03:27.081+12:002013-06-29T10:03:27.081+12:00I love the humour and acceptance in this poem, and...I love the humour and acceptance in this poem, and the bittersweet (self?)acknowledgement of "smart" as a sort of derogatory term aimed at those who reject that way of life. Rachel Fentonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10046917627054462214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-298334170177578638.post-75008430073544405812013-06-28T22:48:55.825+12:002013-06-28T22:48:55.825+12:00Thanks for your comments, everyone! It's good ...Thanks for your comments, everyone! It's good to know the poem struck such a chord with people - and interesting how many of us have a freezing work or an abbatoir somewhere in our past.<br /><br />Just don't get me started on the smell of tanneries...Tim Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14856414700019368658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-298334170177578638.post-68415933601703597712013-06-28T16:34:52.892+12:002013-06-28T16:34:52.892+12:00That's meant to be 'forever'!That's meant to be 'forever'!Harvey Molloyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13168420609485849643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-298334170177578638.post-17737344117392242322013-06-28T16:33:18.697+12:002013-06-28T16:33:18.697+12:00Such a strong songlike quality in the poem--it rea...Such a strong songlike quality in the poem--it reads like a lyric and there's much to consider with each reading. I feel that the poet has escaped the town but is still foreever tied there.Harvey Molloyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13168420609485849643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-298334170177578638.post-63003255636024656942013-06-26T22:48:39.966+12:002013-06-26T22:48:39.966+12:00Great Choice Tim - and I think the final line reso...Great Choice Tim - and I think the final line resonates - no matter where you grew up :)AJ Ponderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15625252892255925438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-298334170177578638.post-42121677497958573822013-06-26T16:24:51.902+12:002013-06-26T16:24:51.902+12:00Good poem. Thanks, Tim. I started my education at ...Good poem. Thanks, Tim. I started my education at age 5 at St Joseph's primary school in Waitara, north Taranaki, another Freezing Works town. I think they've since closed the freezing works there which was a big economic blow to Waitara and then a double insult, they diverted the highway to bypass Waitara.Ben Hurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08367615722744097913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-298334170177578638.post-56039865296756261842013-06-26T08:27:49.786+12:002013-06-26T08:27:49.786+12:00Loved this - I lived in 'Abbatoir Town' -s...Loved this - I lived in 'Abbatoir Town' -so not a freezing works, but this resonated. I understand the ownership thing, too, not that town but another where I worked with inspired a stubborn loyalty.Cattyroxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05535303064712958520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-298334170177578638.post-78959825940420247632013-06-26T07:52:10.419+12:002013-06-26T07:52:10.419+12:00Very evocative - and I didn't grow up in a fr...Very evocative - and I didn't grow up in a freezing works town, though the Westfield Abbotoir wasn't far away, so I now have difficulty going to the mall. Thanks Helen and Tim.Keith Westwaterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03833695634102433794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-298334170177578638.post-78672855510647765392013-06-25T21:23:18.945+12:002013-06-25T21:23:18.945+12:00Excellent poem and commentary! I also like the way...Excellent poem and commentary! I also like the way it builds on Jennifer Compton's 'Palmy" from last week, which is also a "place" poem.Helen Lowehttp://helenlowe.info/blog/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-298334170177578638.post-52409159945424090192013-06-25T18:54:36.267+12:002013-06-25T18:54:36.267+12:00I can smell this poem when I read it.
reminds me o...I can smell this poem when I read it.<br />reminds me of my childhood too. But the freezing works were located at the bottom of Ngauranga Gorge in those days so not actually in the village of Johnsonville. I love the words burning-blood.Very true but also original and extremely powerful. Thanks tim and Helen for sharing this. Helen McKinlayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18429062682694815734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-298334170177578638.post-29821896263903497502013-06-25T15:34:33.510+12:002013-06-25T15:34:33.510+12:00Thank you all for your lovely comments! What a gif...Thank you all for your lovely comments! What a gift to read after a busy day. <br />x Helen LehndorfAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-298334170177578638.post-49482177661433584842013-06-25T14:38:48.611+12:002013-06-25T14:38:48.611+12:00Thanks for your comments, Jennifer, lillyanne and ...Thanks for your comments, Jennifer, lillyanne and Penelope! The tone of this poem is so similar to my own thoughts about growing up in Mataura that it makes me wonder if all residents of freezing works towns have more than a little in common.Tim Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14856414700019368658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-298334170177578638.post-50084842245009472352013-06-25T12:30:02.962+12:002013-06-25T12:30:02.962+12:00Tim's comment that the eels were big reminded ...Tim's comment that the eels were big reminded me of a scene in The Tin Drum, where eels push through a horse's head. This very strong poem should not be read before breakfast. <br /><br />I love the gravedigger's humour in it as well.Penelopehttp://pscottier.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-298334170177578638.post-75562314681915027562013-06-25T07:59:14.377+12:002013-06-25T07:59:14.377+12:00Yeah, I also love it for the in your face acceptan...Yeah, I also love it for the in your face acceptance that makes you re-evaluate the description as you read it. It's a very good poem, I think.<br />lillyannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12752638206153634574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-298334170177578638.post-47078201383534509602013-06-25T07:32:36.573+12:002013-06-25T07:32:36.573+12:00great stuff - close to the bonegreat stuff - close to the boneJennifer Comptonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13254781317505540179noreply@blogger.com