Putting pen to paper

“I’ve been coming since it started,” said Les Smith of Orange’s Banjo Paterson Australian Poetry Festival.

Les, who celebrated his 100th birthday in October, was a latecomer to the poetry world, only taking up writing and reciting some 20 years ago following the death of his wife.

“After I lost my wife, I started to write poetry and up to a year or so ago I did a lot of writing,” said Les, who’s sharp memory and quick wit belie his years.

“Since then I've settled down and I don't do as much now, I don't get the inspiration like I used to.”

When the ‘Banjo’ passed away in 1941, Les was already a few years into his career as a motor mechanic in Moree, a job he worked for 45 years in total.

“And I've been retired for 36,” said Les, who’s happy to say he is now ‘more than square’ with the government.

“I've often thought of this retirement thing… people say you deserve this and that because you paid your taxes all your life. But, when it's boiled down, I've got more back than I ever paid in taxes!”

Les’ inspiration for poems comes from many sources, but more often than not they are based on old stories he remembers.

“A lot of mine are not so much ‘bush poetry’, but more jokes I've heard over the years —a hell of a lot of rude ones!” confided Les, who mostly keeps his poems acceptable for all company.

“But you remember the ones with a little bit of something in them,” he added.

Les’ poem ‘Missed again’, a previous entry in the Banjo Paterson Australian Poetry Festival, was inspired by a Bob Hope joke he remembered from his teen years.

At Saturday’s competition, Les gave the judges ‘The One Teacher School’, although he ultimately missed out on a gong this time around.

But Les has already penned a few lines for next year’s entry.

“I'm working on one about Yuranigh, the Aboriginal who was a guide for Mitchell the explorer— Yuranigh’s grave is at Molong,” said Les.

“I've got a couple of verses, but if I'm around for the next competition, I'll have it all then. But it is a big thing to ask another twelve months!”

Orange is far from the only poetry destination that Les travels to each year. He has been going to Gulgong for the Henry Lawson Heritage Festival since his early 80s and is a regular reciting at festivals in Dunedoo, Ipswich and even as far away as Camooweal.

“At Easter time I'll be going to Ipswich in Queensland again and then there is a Celtic turnout at Glen Innes around about the same time so there are a couple of things,” said Les.

“And then to Gulgong in June and if the Greyhound bus hadn't stopped running through Moree to Darwin I'd be going up to Camooweal in August!”