'Childmemory' by Michael Dugan

'David's Willow Tree' by Susan Clark

The following poem, Childmemory, by Michael Dugan is filled with beautiful memories and imagery. Its environmental theme is poignant and powerful. At the time of writing, this poem is not available anywhere else on the web and is almost impossible to find in published books. However, I was able to discover that it was published in Poetry Australia 32: Preface to the Seventies (1970, p. 35), which resulted in an email exchange with Michael Dugan's former colleague. I am sharing the poem in full because it is too wonderful to be forgotten forever. I encourage teachers to use this poem in their classrooms to explore the concepts of past, present and preservation. All credit goes to the brilliant Michael Dugan who composed this work. - Mel

Childmemory

Down past Macartney’s farm

beyond a wilderness of waist high thistles,

willow trees caressed the creek.

We would come to the willows

along a secret path of our own making,

to leap into their feathered greenness

and, clutching handfuls of whiplike branches,

would swing, eyes closed, above the stream,

rejoicing in motion,

with the bitter taste of willow leaves in our mouths.

Later we tied a rope to the highest branch,

and riding its arc like a pendulum,

would pause at the point of timelessness; to drop,

breaking the pool’s glass surface

into ever widening sculptured circles.

One summer night I crept silent to the willows

and swung for hours, feeling the cool sweet air on my face,

watching stars reflecting in the pool,

like trolls’ eyes staring from the black water.

Returning fifteen years later,

factories pour waste into the creek,

no one remembers willow trees.


Michael Gray Dugan (1947-2006) was an Australian poet, children's writer and editor. Born in the outskirts of Melbourne, Dugan recalled writing stories and poems as a child of eight or nine. In 1968, he first published 'Crosscurrents' magazine from the Melbourne suburb of Canterbury. He also worked as poetry editor of 'Overland' magazine and served as vice-president of the Victorian Fellowship of Australian Writers. In the 1980s, he was a consultant and an editor for the Australian Institute of Multicultural Affairs. Along with his works in children's literature, Dugan had an extensive background in Australian history. He wrote numerous historical textbooks published by Macmillan Education Australia. There are over 200 book titles in Dugan's name, including factual books, fictional stories and poetry anthologies. Other publishers he wrote for include Oxford, Jacaranda, Penguin, and Hodder & Stoughton.

Comments

Anonymous April 11, 2021 at 7:34 PM

Thank you so much for sharing this! I used this with my Year 7 class many years ago and have not been able to locate it since. I just love this poem. So sad that his place got replaced by factories.

Unique Handmade Cards by Green Gifts

I arrived home this week to a very waterlogged hollow! It seems that the rain hasn't let up, which makes the markets scene quite challenging up here in the mountains (due to fewer tourists). Nevertheless, I have continued to push on and have made some lovely beaded necklaces and a few cards, ready for this weekend's markets. The card above is a one-of-kind, never-to-be-repeated design, made using reclaimed embroidered fabric. I would have liked to photograph it outside but it was just too misty, wet and dark (like something out of LOTR--quite beautiful, actually).

This type of card is my area of specialty because it does get a little monotonous remaking my popular designs from week-to-week. When I come across an interesting piece of paper or fabric, my creativity kicks in a little and these often become the tactile cards I truly love. This card also incoportates some hand drawn elements to give it that rustic touch. Because this card is extra special in terms of materials and design, I will be pricing it at $5.00. My handmade cards range from $1.50 to $6.00 and roughly reflect the effort and materials that go into them. My more expensive cards often take up to an hour to make, and are geared towards the most discerning of handmade card buyers.

Why Buy Handmade Greeting Cards?

This card is hand: stamped, torn, inked, drawn (e.g. swirls & dots), coloured, cut, glued and embellished.

As I interact with customers, I am sometimes surprised by people's hesitancy to buy handmade greeting cards. What with the glut of commercial cards available in shops, there seems to be an inherent trust in overpriced factory-produced cards. I am trying to challenge this notion by providing affordable gifts and cards, handmade using quality materials, unusual techniques and unique designs.

Handmade cards are not mass-produced by a printing press. Each one is hand constructed and designed. Common cardmaking techniques used include hand: stamping, drawing, embossing, inking, painting, cutting, gluing, mounting and embellishing. If you have ever dabbled in cardmaking yourself, you start to realise just how much effort goes into one card and the number of steps needed to create the finished product. Each card is a miniature artwork which reflects the creator’s passion for originality, aesthetics and design.

When you buy handmade cards, you have the opportunity to communicate your personal style and message to the recipients, which will ultimately hold a deeper meaning for them. There is something different about the way a handmade card looks and feels. The hand-embellished, multi-dimensional and artistic elements of a handmade card provide the recipient with something to treasure for many years to come, so it is unlikely to be discarded. I have known people to paste a favourite quote over the “Happy Birthday” sentiment on the front, for example, and frame their card.

People will genuinely value the thought you have put into selecting a creative handmade card for their special occasion whether it be a birthday, the birth of a baby, marriage, or simply a little note of thanks.

Handmade cards are great value for money and are often cheaper than mass-produced cards. Unsold and damaged cards are factored into the price of commercial cards. Why not consider buying an individually constructed product, which has been locally made with limited waste or environmental impact, and which has been made with great care and passion!

Text by Melanie © 2011

An example of my cards...

This is an example of the kinds of cards I was making a few years ago. Since that time, I have sold my cards at school open days, to a social group for birthday mail-outs, at a couple of annual fairs/festivals, and at the occasional market. Lately, I have been attending markets in the Blue Mountains more frequently and have been amazed by such positive responses from people purchasing my cards. It has encouraged me to diversify my designs even more, particularly in the area of collaged cards.