By Carolyn, 75. Adelaide, SA Rose looked up at the sky. The weather was picture perfect. Dam, she muttered to herself. Normally she would have been delighted, but today, of all days, she wanted it to rain. Come to think of it, hail would be better. Anything to put people off coming. Right little sticky [...]
Author: The Human Writers
The Secret Door
By Allan, 77. Salisbury North, SAThere is a secret door and it has a secret lock.It is only for me to know, how it is and where it is.It is never far away, the secret door.I think none know about my secret door, for a secret shared is no secret anymore.I sometimes hint about it, [...]
A Memorable Meal ~ Delhi, India; September 2019
By Lesley-Anne, 67. Christie Downs, SA It was our first day in Delhi. Visiting India had always been on my bucket list, and I was excited to leave the comfort of our hotel and get out into the streets and see the real India. We spent the first part of the morning wandering around the [...]
STAY STRONG
By Johanna Elizabeth, 70. Melbourne, VIC Time to look ahead,Remember, don’t be leadInto places where you don’t want to go. Stand tall, breathe and just let it flow. Ask for help if that’s what you need,Don’t look back, look ahead and lead. Look for reasons to just keep going. Believe in yourself and your light will be glowing. [...]
Me, in a Nutshell
By Pam, 72. Perth, WA I am a human writer. I’ve been human for 72 years now! (As of last Sunday, actually!) My childhood was in England, an only child. Mum had three miscarriages, so I was forever making friends so I had someone to play with. I was quite good at that, though lonely [...]
Time
By Terence, 72. Doonside, NSW Where have you gone, I wish you were here What did I say, was my meaning not clear When I looked in your eyes, saying I would be true That time would not change, what you knew that I knew The years that have passed, time just ticking away Hair [...]
Betty Boswell
By Dr. Marguerette Joyce Hill, 72. Adelaide, SA Betty Boswell was awakened by the sound of weeping. She was a light sleeper. She glanced at the digital clock on her nightstand. It was almost midnight. Keiko was in trouble again. In the dark, Betty rose from under her covers and stood at the window of [...]
Sixteen Missions
By Rayna, 77. Sandy Beach, NSW As the sun dips on the horizon, Harry slowly places the binoculars back in their case. His arms ache and his eyes sting from scanning the skies all afternoon. Knowing there won’t be any sign of him now, he trudges back to his cottage. Charlie never flies at night. [...]
SO THIS IS OLD?
By Alice Richardson, 77. Elizabeth, SA The winter tree stands naked; exposed; vulnerable. It remembers the beauty of spring; fragrant colourful blossoms, sparkling green leaves, the warmth of summer, the birds that nested amongst its foliage and the tiny fledgling’s insistent ‘hungry’ chirps demanding food. They flutter and venture further and further from the nest, [...]
Gone Walkabout
By Dr. Marguerette Joyce Hill, 72. Adelaide, SA Philip clung desperately to his expensive Panama hat with one hand and to the rusty window sill of the ute with the other as they bumped, rattled and lurched wildly along the dusty, unpaved road of the Australian outback. He clutched his overnight bag between his knees. [...]
A man out here
By Doug Jacquier, 70. Yankalilla, SA A man out here that whinged about the sweltering heat and bush flies in his eyes and up his nose wouldn’t be a man and Harry would never have that said of him. Out here, a man who couldn’t fix a snapped axle on a mail truck in a [...]
To the Top
By Paul Blanksby, 63. Helensburgh, NSW ‘You’re a sook, Miklas, a big sook.’It’s that Johnno again. Oh, I could just… They can’t have seen me sitting in my backyard, these boys, through the passionfruit vine and the wind-warped paling fence. An unwanted adult observer of their little drama. A smaller boy, wearing a blue jumper [...]
In recognition of Arthur Stace 1885 to 1967
By Dirk McGown, 69. Stirling, SA Click here to downloadDownload
Remembering Nan
Somebody sent me a photo of the vacant block where Nan and Pa’s house had stood, even longer than the seventy-five years they occupied it. Well, at least Pa had been in it that long, Nan having pre-deceased him by more than a decade. Although demographically the average longevity of women being greater than that [...]
Untitled
On reaching the age of sixty, I realised that I was born in 1960, with all of the memories of that time, songs and 'ways of being' that I could recall with those images. Out came the orange floral chiffon number, spotted at the local Op Shop. Easy to spot were the oversize shiny orange beads [...]
This is My Story
By Margaret Brooks, 93. Bacchus Marsh, Victoria Sunday 8.8.2021 I was born at Quamby Hospital, Bacchus Marsh on the 3.9.1927. I grew up in the Raglan Cottage, Melton. In those days, most of the roads and streets were dirt roads. I had some very happy days going to school and playing skippy and hop scotch. [...]
Cloud Gazing
I recall those summers as if from yesterday. Long and hot with time to waste, to laugh and love and play. We'd lay in grassy meadows, heads crowned with daisy chains. King and queen of our own world, where dreams and magic reigns. We'd cast our gaze up to the clouds, bright white in azure [...]
First Day at Home With My First Baby
My first terrifying experience was bringing my first baby home from the hospital. I became responsible for a helpless mortal human being. My first Daughter was at my mercy and I did not have many clues how to care and raise her. This wriggling bundle was mine but she could not speak one word to [...]
Full Moon Madness
I remember that night in every detail. It was one of those crisp fresh nights, not particularly cold but with a clean, fresh smell on the breeze, the trees swishing gently and the full moon casting silver light across the lawn. I’m not sure what it was that woke me, but my eyes opened, and [...]
Trees
I grew up as asphalt became an innovation , people were in the thrall of this new slick black surface.Cities embraced it .. I recall seeing trees manacled in islands of it. I grew up in NZ conscious of the number of native trees chopped down to enable pine forests.I spent years in Central Australia [...]
water to wine
we drive past them every day a quick glance we see vineyards set in neat rows of precision between timber posts, outstretched arms are tied around wire stringers knarled crucified vine branches will remain this way until spring then summer brings forth sweet bunches of crimson grapes from the warmth of the sun richness of [...]
Untitled
Sometimes when you’re feeling low And you feel you truly have nowhere to go The feeling of sadness just runs so deep All you want is to go to sleep And dream of times when happiness was alive It felt so good it made you want to survive And now Im here and I feel [...]
Turpentine
I remember the time when I was four years old and Mr. Stafford had just painted our shutters propped on sawhorses in the yard. I remember my mother saying, “Elizabeth, don’t go near those!” I remember wondering what would happen if I did. I needed to find out. I needed to go outside on that [...]