As the Flamenco Fire tour draws to a close, this week’s blog is written by touring guitarist Damian Wright…through the beauty of poetry! Damian has sent us in four poems – grab a cup of tea and enjoy!
ONE PUB TOWN RITUAL
No sooner do we leave the mining mecca of Mt Isa then we see ant stacks like roadkill gravestones lining the highways edge, as olive green shrubs quench the thirst of the dusty earth, every colour tamed and lightened by the heat.
An oasis of tarred roads shield cars momentarily from the red dust as hawks hover like gods deciding to devour life or death, the impact of the cattle grids awake sleepy passengers gazing into the endless arid vista as the occasional sand trap sends the van into a serpents dance “watch the tyres man!!”
This is at least remote enough to be ground control to perfect silence, thinking of the original people of this land with their skin in harmony with the sun makes us of European decent seem somewhat wrongly dressed for the occasion, we arrive at Burketown shake off the dust and begin the one pub town ritual…
THE LAKE
The silky smooth lake massages the mind away, mesmerized by the water of life. Waiting for the sun to signal the days end with its light show illuminating the dust into the early evening outback sky.
Galahs fly in majestic formations, pink as if painted by the sunset. Immersing in the freshwater of the lake like an Aquarian dream floating to the sleepy song of the crows and calls from other birds, as the reeds and the grainy sand of the lake bed embrace my feet, breathe in, breathe out, floating away.
BRIDGE FISHING
“Ya gotta be one with ya bait mate!” he says as he pulls in his 8th fish in less than an hour.
“Do you mean Zen like?” joking we reply.
“Pass me a few ‘coldies’ and I’ll show ya who’s Zen mate!” says another.
Hoping to hook a fish that’s mistaken a piece of bait shop squid, Swinging our hand reels like wayward darts, a mixture of peaceful contemplation and eager hunting. one fish two fish catfish no fish…
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
The heat makes the asphalt road oasis lying ahead look like an outgoing tide never to be reached, like a devils plaything to those dying of thirst.
The road trains sliver side to side, we overtake then confront from a distance, the gauntlet of oncoming traffic, roads so straight as if created as the crow flies, lonely towns passed in a blur, kilometers passing like slow seconds, watching the trees and grasses fly by and fade into distant memory…on the road again.
Damian is a Sydney-based Flamenco guitarist who began Flamenco study with Robbie Varga in Sydney and then moved to Spain where he spent 4 years studying with some of Spain’s most recognised maestros of the Flamenco guitar, including El Entri and Pepe Justicia. Upon his return Damian studied with Richard Tedesco in Melbourne. In 2010 Damian received funding from the Australian Council for the Arts to continue his studies in Spain. Damian is also leader of acclaimed Australia based flamenco ensemble ‘Bandaluzia’. Damian first joined the cast of Flamenco Fire in 2010.
