InReview InReview

SA QLD
Support independent journalism

Books & Poetry

Poem: Wheat Harvest, Broomehill 1962

Books & Poetry

In this week’s Poet’s Corner, Peter Burges recalls the hot, dusty days of a long-ago summer harvest.

Print article

Wheat Harvest, Broomehill 1962

for my father

I recall those long, golden swathes,
the orange Chamberlain’s diesel reek
and roar, haze’s shimmering sworls,
the dozy nodding of hairy wheat;

how the dust of those harvest days
filled my mouth and nostrils, ears,
inflamed my eyes, clogged every pore
until I couldn’t hear, breathe, speak;

how my sweat drew in the cracked husks
winnowed through the header’s beaks,
raising livid lumps all over my skin
that pulsed to the tractor’s dull beat.

Recall, too, that stoic, gnomish shadow
stomping mallee roots with big-booted feet,
hurling stones from the tractor’s way
unmindful of sweat, itch or heat;

how, at last, that shadow straightened,
calling an end to the itch of wheat,
how dusk rolled in then, low and brown,
whispering of a cool shower, salad, sleep.

Peter Burges lives in Perth. Growing up and working on the family farm at Broomehill in Western Australia’s Mallee region, he is now retired after 25 years with IDP Education in Asia and the Middle East, prior to which he studied at the Marist Fathers’ seminary in Sydney, completed his BA at the University of Western Australia, and worked on a Fred Hollows trachoma program. His poetry has appeared in various Australian journals and been commended and shortlisted in a number of competitions, while his first collection, “… through slow-turning days…”, was published in 2019. He is currently seeking publication for a second collection, “always, homewoods bound”.

Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to poetscorner@solsticemedia.com.au. Submissions should be in the body of the email, not as attachments. A poetry book will be awarded to each accepted contributor.

 

Make a comment View comment guidelines

Support local arts journalism

Your support will help us continue the important work of InReview in publishing free professional journalism that celebrates, interrogates and amplifies arts and culture in South Australia.

Donate Here

. You are free to republish the text and graphics contained in this article online and in print, on the condition that you follow our republishing guidelines.

You must attribute the author and note prominently that the article was originally published by InReview.  You must also inlude a link to InReview. Please note that images are not generally included in this creative commons licence as in most cases we are not the copyright owner. However, if the image has an InReview photographer credit or is marked as “supplied”, you are free to republish it with the appropriate credits.

We recommend you set the canonical link of this content to https://inreview.com.au/inreview/books-and-poetry/2022/07/06/poem-wheat-harvest-broomehill-1962/ to insure that your SEO is not penalised.

Copied to Clipboard

More Books & Poetry stories

Loading next article