Growing up on her family’s beef cattle property at Fine Flower in the Clarence Valley, Brooke Chapman has always been surrounded by the rugged beauty of the Australian bush, its unique and varying characteristics, which change with each passing season, and its captivating magic and mannerisms.
Inspired by her rural upbringing, her admiration for the regional landscape, and her love of writing, the 15-year-old recently penned an exquisite piece entitled ‘Love Poem to the Bush’, which she entered in the secondary school’s section of the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW A.B. Paterson Bush Poetry Award at the 2023 Sydney Royal Easter Show, and proudly recited to the audience in the centre of the main arena.
Her touching tribute to her homeland and eloquent delivery impressed the judges, including Head of Education for the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW Duncan Kendall, who awarded her first place and presented her with a hardcopy of the work and life story of A.B. (Banjo) Paterson.
“It was amazing,” Brooke recalled.
“I’ve entered some local poetry competitions before, but to be a part of a national competition, I was ecstatic.
“I was so happy to hear my work had been recognised, and I received so many compliments too.”
Brooke revealed it took her “around 20 or 30 minutes”, to write ‘Love Poem to the Bush’, including editing her work, and said when she is in the zone and feeling inspired, the words come to her quite easily.
“I’ve always loved poetry, its my favourite form of writing,” she said.
“I’m also a fan of Banjo Paterson because I love Australian poetry and bush poetry.
“Growing up in the bush and working in the bush, it’s always inspired me, and I wanted to represent that in my poem.”
Brooke said she was especially proud to recite ‘Love Poem to the Bush’ at the 2023 Sydney Royal Easter Show while her mother and older brother watched from the grandstand.
After returning to the Clarence Valley last week, Brooke said she is currently working on a couple of new poems and plans to continue entering her work in local poetry competitions.
This article appeared in the Clarence Valley Independent, 19 April 2023.
Related story: New release – Banjo Paterson: A Life in Pictures and Words from the Banjo Paterson Family Archive
