My unofficial geographic CV – I am Australian #digiwrimo

I love Maureen Crawford’s geographic CV which she has written for Kevin Hodgson and opened up for response and remixing to all.

Here is my offering, my geographic CV of sorts:

Somehow I manage to stand without falling

with all the other Australians

at the bottom of the world

or so the map says.

 

I shiver when you, at the top, are walking sleeveless through the park.

I shelter in air conditioned rooms, curtains drawn,

with my European trees burning before they get the chance to turn red

at the same time as you shovel snow and boast about snow days.

I want heat days.

 

In my early schooling I learned about convicts

farewelling England forever

to come to the place of my birth

which was not the birthplace of my parents.

 

My double life was week days a certain kind of world view

and weekends different in language and customs

but I questioned not

and kept the other life quiet.

I danced to Greensleeves in the asphalt playground;

on Saturdays I sang acapella in Russian and recited Pushkin.

 

Tic Tac Toe, here I go, where I land

I do not know.

What shall we do with a drunken sailor?

There’s a green oak-tree by the shores
Of the blue bay; on a gold chain,
The cat, learned in the fable stories,
Walks round the tree in ceaseless strain.

The textbook of my life is sewn together

from pages torn from books in libraries

at opposite ends of the world.

 

I ignore the footy on tv –

my country’s religion,

the races also,

but enjoy the public holiday.

I wonder about the words of my country’s anthem:

Australians all let us rejoice, For we are young and free;

We are not so young, surely,

We are old but some of us have only just arrived

and chosen to forget who lived here first.

 

I question also

For those who’ve come across the seas We’ve boundless plains to share…

 

Along with many others

I remark on the falsehood;

We sing what is not true

but should be.

 

I am Australian.

Here is the Hackpad with everyone’s versions of the #DiGiWriMo unofficial CV.

 

15 thoughts on “My unofficial geographic CV – I am Australian #digiwrimo”

  1. I live amongst
    Those that lived here first
    Yet our eyes never meet
    Our feet tread the same road
    Our footprints differ
    I connect more with the red
    Dust
    Rock
    Ageless
    Landscape.

  2. This is a great start to get to know you Tania. Intrigued by your Russian roots? or interests. One of my favorite filmmakers is Russian. Tarkovsky. And I got to study a little Russian from a Ukrainian colleague in South Korea. I’ve never tried it on my cat though.

    1. Hi Sundi, good to meet another introverted learner and educator, another person who is sad at remembering dates (I guess I don’t care enough).Yes, Russian roots but born in Australia. Now I’m interested in your life path since you mention the Ukrainian colleague in South Korea. Interesting why I speak to my dog in Russian but nobody else in my family.

  3. Tania – love it! Great poetry and remix of Maureen’s (equally great) original. You’ve really captured the essence of the experience growing up as the child of migrants in Australia – it all resonated with my own experience. It looks like a remix is in order….I’d better get onto it ; )

  4. Lovely and so outrageously creative. Your roots are showing alright. (Not hair!)

    This is powerful (the others too!):

    My double life was week days a certain kind of world view

    and weekends different in language and customs

    but I questioned not

    and kept the other life quiet.

    1. Haha, hair roots too, I think.
      I appreciate your lovely comments, Yin Wah. Wish I had time to read more of everybody’s!

Leave a Reply to Tania Sheko Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *