Some memories last a lifetime. Like happy memories. My childhood was blessed and I was surrounded with happy people. My parents, grandparents and my parents’ friends. We used to go bushwalking in the Grampians in Victoria. I was only 2 or 3 years old and I would run off up ahead along the track alone. I would watch the birds flitting in and out of the small shrubs and admire all the wild flowers that blossomed everywhere. Then I would run back to where the walking party was coming. Sometimes I would crouch down behind a tree and jump out and surprise everyone who was walking towards me. They would all act surprised and I would laugh because I thought that it was funny. I knew not to stray from the path because I could get lost. I never did get lost and I have never lost these happy memories.
I am the little boy in the photo below and holding me is a friend of my parents’, Laurie O’Brien. I always remember Laurie as a happy man and he still is. Today is his birthday and I couldn’t think of a better way to thank him for the memories than to write a happy birthday poem for him.
Happy Birthday it is true, Happy Birthday just for you
Happy Birthday, you are great. We love the way that you act 8.
Happy Birthday with lots of money. You know I’m just being funny
Wishing you this birthday wish, I hope you get a sloppy kiss
From your darling loving wife. Who has stuck with you all your life
Happy Birthday dear Laurie. You never seem to ever worry
I wrote this poem just for you. Read it when you’re in the loo
Happy Birthday Laurence O’Brien. I hope you have a wonderful time.
Another fond memory that has never left me is that of my grandfather. He was killed in a car accident when I was only 4 years old. However the memories that I have of him are only positive. While my parents were working I would go a stay with my grandmother for the day. I used to arrive early and watch him shave before work. He would put shaving soap on my face and then pretend to shave it off. We would drive to the airport sometimes and as we would approach and overpassing bridge he say, “no more bridges” then as we went under the bridge he would tap me on the head with a rolled up newspaper and I would laugh. He would laugh. We’d both laugh together. I loved him and he loved me.
I have been fortunate in my life to have had happy and kind men around me when I was young. My father is one of those men. He never hit or smacked me and was always measured in his discipline preferring to use his words than any form of violence. For this I am grateful and this has been reflected in my peaceful non-violent attitude to life. I have never attacked anyone and only ever stepped in between people who were about to fight in order to protect them.
One year I was in West End in Brisbane and there was a drunk guy who was causing trouble. Five other guys were ushering him away and he was getting increasingly aggressive and agitated and starting to swing punches at them. I didn’t want to see him or them get hurt so I walked over, took off my shirt held up my arms and said, “if you want to hit someone hit me.” He punched into my stomach which was tensed and I felt his wrist crack. He then took a swing at my head and I ducked backwards. He just grazed my forehead and then stopped. I looked him square in the eye and said, “Is that it? Have you had enough?” His friend walked over and said to him, “I think you’d better go” He left. Nobody was hurt, except perhaps for his pride and fractured wrist.”
After I studied Environmental Science at university I worked for Greenpeace. The Cold War ended with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and then the START-Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty on the 31st of July 1991 and the break up of the USSR 26th of December 1991. So by the time I worked for Greenpeace the Cold War was over. The only problem was that the USA had so much money invested in the war machine and arms production that they were addicted to profits and then had to create conflicts in through lies and deceit by dehumanising muslim people.
Now in 2021 we are in one of the most peaceful times in human history. If we get rid of armies and weapons we can truely create abundance, wealth, security and peace on Earth for all people.
We can finally thrive together, care for on another and live in peace on Earth. I wrote the “Legend of the Bombagun” as a post war vision of the world that I would like to see in the future. Below is Part 1 and the rest is available in the second of my “in Nimbin” books, Lust in Nimbin available on Amazon.
My grandfather served in the ADF in WWII and I have always honoured him and the ANZACS for the sacrifices that they made. My belief is that one day the only armies that exist will be responsible for planting trees and vegetable gardens so we can all have freely available healthy nourishing food world wide and live in peace and war will only be a memory. Thank you to all the peaceful men in my life.
Legend of the Bombagund Part 1
Henceforth the sloothan warp was hest.
No more warp kiel est.
Legend of the Bombagund.
Peace now reigns but the rivs were blud.
Over there in future Earth,
Father tells his son a story.
“Long ago the rivs were blud”
“This story will be gory.”
Henceforth the sloothan warp was hest.
No more warp kiel est.
Legend of the Bombagund.
Peace now reigns but the rivs were blud.
Warrender came in a gust of whoosh.
Against no warp did he push,
The Pushers and their rivs a blud.
All lay down the bombagun.
The bombagun henceforth no gotten
But the rivs a blud are not forgotten.
The peace now rigns not the bombagund
Warps rivs a blud no longer run.
Henceforth the sloothan warp will never.
Warp kiel est no more ever.
Legend of the bombagund.
Peace now reigns and the rivs are love.
Warrender stood between the others.
He said, “Hey warps, kiel me yor brutha”
The Warps they answered, “Why? But no.”
“There’s rivs a blud upon the snow”
“ These bombagund no need have gotten
but the rivs a blud are not forgotten”
Warrender came to heal the Earth
And the rivs now run clear rainbow birth.
Henceforth they stopped the rivs a blud.
And the rivs now flowing rivs a love.
Warrender stopped the Bombagund
And the rivs a blud no longer run.
“ Tell me dad. What’s a Bombagund?”
“Twas a machine to make the rivs a blud run son”
Henceforth the sloothan warp was hest.
No more warp kiel est.
Legend of the Bombagund.
The rivs now flow clear rainbow love.
Legend of the Bombagund Illustrated on YouTube.
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