Breaking off a piece of the willow
I say goodbye to my friend.
He will take it and plant it.
A tree will grow by the river
And the river will flow away to the ocean,
Will carry the leaves fallen from the willow.
Small important message they are for the future
Telling of times past, and the conversations of friendship,
Telling the ocean all about the willow.
Willows (Goodbye) by Rosemary Dobson (1987)
The last of perhaps the greatest generation of Australian poets which included the likes of Kenneth Slessor, Judith Wright, AD Hope and James McAuley (or Ern Malley if you are so inclined). I never had the privilege of meeting Rosemary, but she was by all accounts warm of heart and generous with her time to those aspiring to the great calling.
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