GRASS IN GREEN MEADOW was first performed in
Cafe Maldon on 19 July 2002, using a personalized
form of Tai Chi to dramatize the performance and the
textual imagery. This poem struck an emotional chord
with all audiences during a short USA tour in 2003. Last
performed at the retirement gig in Melbourne’s Botanic
Gardens which was used to raise significant support for
the freedom struggles in Tibet and West Papua, and for
an orphanage in Timor-Leste.
Click image to view artwork and poem. Giclée fine art
prints for the series, The Living Condition in the Era of
Climate Change, are available for purchase - see
“shop”.
In the 1996 federal election I stood
for the Australian Democrats
against the foreign affairs minister
– what’s his name? Who cares!
Anyway, the Democrats had a
slogan dating back to Don Chipp,
a wonderful politician with unusual
integrity. When he left the Liberal
Party to form the Democrats he
promised to “keep the bastards
honest”. I updated the slogan for
my campaign – KICK THE
BASTARDS OUT!
I believe this slogan is appropriate for every state and
federal election. The major parties are not only
responsible for inaction on climate change, they are
responsible for causing it! Future generations….scrap
that, because the youngsters are already asking: Who
were the perpetrators? Who were the bystanders? Who
were the collaborators?
“You, front row with your hand up – what’s your answer?”
The five-year-old rugrat had no hesitation: “The Liberal-
National Parties and the Labor Party.”
I stared hard at this kid – “And what should we do about
that?”
Again, no hesitation: “Kick the bastards out!”
CLEAN COAL HONEY is dedicated to the Minister
for What’s Left of the Environment. (Denied entry
into the 2019 Ipswich Art Awards.)
Jim Aubrey - poem&pix
Grass in Green Meadow
Chinese eat dog.
Japanese eat whale.
Les Français eat snail.
Some fellas eat grub.
Africans eat wildebeest.
Latinoamericanos eat testicles of bull.
Cowboys and Indians eat bison.
Other fellas eat kangaroo.
Dog eat lazy dog.
Whale eat sea plankton.
Snail eat plant.
Grub eat leaf.
Wildebeest eat grass.
Bull eat grass.
Bison eat grass.
Kangaroo eat grass.
Lazy dog eat no one.
Sea plankton eat no one.
Leaf eat no one.
Plant eat no one.
Grass in green meadow softens
with gentle whisper of breeze
and tears of Tibetan monks.