Jem stood up on a little hillock, tall and splendid, with his open brow and his fearless eyes… Let the Piper come and welcome’, he cried, waving his hand. I’ll follow him gladly, round and round the world.’

— LM Montgomery

@gracefatchen

Up the Creek Without a Paddle' is inspired by a family trip up the Murray in a houseboat. Happy Australia Day Featuring: A PREMONITION FEATURING: Another short story for November... Born in the south, how could she leave it? That land of sunshine and wattle bloom, where the dusty summer evenings scented the world ruddy? "Long, long ago, a people came back to their own land after being away a long time..." Spent the weekend in Naracoorte. As we drove off through the dawn, I thought to myself: You can't take the home out of Kanmantoo (or wherever home is for you). The simplicity of home-things and childhood beckon on into adulthood. And aforementioned post is up a lot sooner than I thought it would be: a dialogue between two poets and the Springtime...

Latest Posts

  • UP THE CREEK WITHOUT A PADDLE

    Inspired by a family trip up the Murray on a houseboat We kept a ‘ships log’ just for a joke. It listed departure times, and how many kilometres we were along the river. Occasionally, the deckhands would make observations about… Continue reading

    UP THE CREEK WITHOUT A PADDLE

  • A PREMONITION

    I hear the drums of war a-beating  Upon these Southern shores,  A sound this country once knew well  And shall know again once more.  Ushered in by Providence  Or captured by Fate  The drums of war are banging  At the sliprails, at the gate.   At… Continue reading

    A PREMONITION

  • THE WAY HOME

    Born in the south, how could she leave it? That land of sunshine and wattle bloom, where the dusty summer evenings scented the world ruddy?  Lifting his nose westward, he sniffed at the breezes – dry wheat, dust, rotten sunshine – such scents he caught… Continue reading

    THE WAY HOME

  • THE SWORD AND THE TROWEL

    An Allegory Long, long ago, a people came back to their own land after being away a long time. In the latter days, a foreign prince had come and carried them off to exile – to an unknown people and to… Continue reading

    THE SWORD AND THE TROWEL

  • PLUTO

    …An excerpt of a new project I’ve begun working on. Enjoy! It was mid-summer. The wild oat was tall, and bleached by the searing sun, leaving every paddock swaying in golden light. If it didn’t rain soon, there would be… Continue reading

    PLUTO

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