The Passing Of Stumpy Shore

[Merv Webster]

THE PASSING OF STUMPY SHORE

 

The Constable had found the man 'round five on Friday morn,

apparently while on his shift from midnight through till dawn.

Two youths, with blood stains on their clothes, detained drunk in the park

disclosed they'd rolled some homeless bloke, sometime just after dark.

As Sergeant in this country town I'd lived round here for years,

observed some pretty callous things, but this left me in tears. 

The aged and fragile frame lay slumped there in a pool of mud

and through his snow white hair and beard was clotted, crimson blood.

 

The Constable looked up and said, "There fam'ly we can call?

For surely someone knows him Sarge.  You know the bloke at all?"  

"He's know 'round here as Stumpy lad, been here a year or two.

came out way back in sixty-three to work on Beetaloo,

Then worked his way to overseer and often came to town,

was captain of the football team, a sportsman of renown.

He married pretty Sheila Clark and when his son was four

they called conscripts for Vietnam, which saw him go to war.

 

A war of conflicts that would scar and traumatise the mind,

confusing, cruel, and futile acts some failed to leave behind.

Inherent post-traumatic stress was that war's legacy,

together with the stump you see attached below his knee. 

The old man lying there my lad is testimony too

a life spent fighting guilt and fear his mind could not subdue.

Poor Sheila shared his sleepless nights, the flashbacks and his pain,

but in the end she lost the fight as Stumpy left again.

 

He camped in squats around the town and drowned his pain with wine,

withdrew into his own quiet world, content now to resign,

from all of life's inequities, the company of folk,

but all the town saw Stumpy Shore, a harmless poor old bloke.

His Sheila raised their only son, who still lives here today,

who cared for her through all those years until she passed away.

She'd told him of the man she'd known before he went to war,

so in his mind he held no grudge against old Stumpy Shore.

 

In fact one day down by the creek, while Stumpy washed his socks,

he saved a lad from drowning as he'd dived onto some rocks.

The boy he saved that very day was his own grandson Kim;

ironical, I guess eh lad, that Stumpy should save him."

"You know Sarge, when I found the man, I thought him just a bum

and judged the bloke on what I saw, but this has left me numb.  

The facts are mighty sob'ring Sarge and now I feel real bad.

You reckon we can find his son?" ... "You're talking to him lad."

 

© Australian Bush Poet and Balladeer

    Merv Webster

 

[Gwyneth]

Really enjoyed this sad tale. Full of emotional imagery. Thanks for sharing.

[darren]

Great story...needs to be read more than once. The narrative voice is so strong I found myself putting on an Aussie accent as I read it. 

[Merv Webster]

G'day Gwyneth,  I was inspired to write this after I saw some youths go through a homeless man's belongings and found some metho and pured it on him and lit him up.  I was so disgusted as he was a Vietnam veteran and was now fightig greater battles in life and the youths just judged him on what they saw.  I felt I had to help them appreciate you don't judge a book by its cover.  Thanks for sharing.

 

 

Merv Webster.

[Merv Webster]

G'day Darren.  Thanks for sharing mate, I have to live with the accent all the time.  Lol.

 

 

Merv Webster

[Gwyneth]

OMG That is horrendous. The poor poor soul. They probably were on drugs, high as kites. They

going to be the ones that burn in Hell if there's any justice!

[Merv Webster]

There are so many Vets fighting battles long after they come home from wars Gwyneth and sadly we only ever hear about some frm time to time.

 

 

Merv

[lillypilly]

Really like this Merv

[Merv Webster]

G'day Lilypilly.  I've performed this many times and it does invoke a lot of recations from the audience.  Especially ex servicemen.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Merv

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tIoTVhqZzI&list=UUqD22aXk2AB533y2mtZf91Q

[lillypilly]

do you perform at many bush poem fests in Australia?

[Merv Webster]

For nearly twenty odd years I have been performing at various festivals and my wife Chris and I have been performing our own Bush Poetry, Ballad and Yarns Show during that time.

 

https://www.facebook.com/mervw?ref=name