Words

During a fortunate life in a spectacular country, faced with the usual complications of everyday existence and human behaviour, thought given to observations, memories, personal opinions and various out of the blue ideas finally led to the creation of this short book of verse. Sitting quietly in a corner for an hour or two, the casual reader may find a few items of interest as has the author in similar situations over many years – often in the most unexpected places. Covering a journey from youth to old age adds variety to the poetic stories to be found in this book perhaps best described and discovered by simply taking a little time to read it.

During a fortunate life in a spectacular country, faced with the usual complications of everyday existence and human behaviour, thought given to observations, memories, personal opinions and various out of the blue ideas finally led to the creation of this short book of verse. Sitting quietly in a corner for an hour or two, the casual reader may find a few items of interest as has the author in similar situations over many years – often in the most unexpected places. Covering a journey from youth to old age adds variety to the poetic stories to be found in this book perhaps best described and discovered by simply taking a little time to read it.

In April 1961 a young man left England with fifty pounds in his pocket to try his luck in Australia. Relevant memories of early years in Sydney and opportunities received include walking into the Sydney Morning Herald looking for the future he really wanted, being interviewed that same day, then starting a proofreading job the next week! Keen to learn about playwriting, he also took on theatre classes before joining a drama group, which led to a few months as a full-time student at the National Institute of Dramatic Art. It took another fourteen years and a three-year tertiary course before he finally made it into journalism. Born in 1942, he stayed with his grandparents during the war, his father being in the army and his mother a nurse. After attending three different schools by the time he was eight, the stability and quality of the next four years at a Boarding School are viewed as key years in his education. Glancing back, he is aware of how little he knew about life as a young man arriving in Australia and how fortunate he has been as a result of the help of so many people along the way. Nearing the end of an interesting journey, he decided to publish his book of verse composed over many years, now tangible proof of his brief existence.