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A Week of Vintage Australiana – with Gemma Jones – Hist Hark!

April 28, 2008

Day One
Part Two!

I was reading Miss BooBook’s blog about her favourite book “Possum Magic” – so I thought I would play this game too with a vintage Aussie theme.

And I’m sincere – this is really my favourite book! C.J. Dennis “A Book for Kids” (1921)



I remember an American friend of mine laughing about how understated Australian names for things are: “General Store” (which was at the end of my street) for example cracked him up!
I love how this book is just called what-it-is. I love how its not even called “THE” Book for Kids. Its just “a” book for kids. One of many – no big deal.

CJ didn’t have any of his own kids – but he wrote these stories and verses for his little friend Bert who ended up in hospital after a gun accident. Boohoo!

I love the biographical tale of him being brought up by a bunch of maiden aunts who made him dress like a big girly square in county South Australia – leading to him being teased by all the local lads who called him a “sissy boy”. Swoon! I love a nice Aussie sissy boy! I wish I could’ve met him.

Here are two cool verses because – I love getting parcels and I love eating things from the bakery.

Go to my Flickr to read them, and my all time favourite CJ Dennis poem HIST HARK! (TAKE A RUN THROUGH POSSUM PARK WITH ME!)

xx Gemma

PS – Stay tuned for further installments