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| So long, and thanks for all the things |
A Valediction
Now to my story.
It is about a girl who was to be married.
She said to her father,
"I shall be so nervous
I will faint as you walk me down the aisle".
Her father said: "That is a stupid way
to look at it. You will be quite all right
if you just fix your mind
on three things - the aisle,
the altar
which you are approaching
and the hymn
that the people in the church will be singing".
His daughter
replied, "That is a great idea:
I'll
alter
him".
She went down the aisle
quite bravely
with that thought in her mind.
I think we all come into the Parliament
thinking to ourselves,
"I'll alter
this and I'll
alter
that". But
things do not
always
work out
quite like that.
Some one suggested once
I ought to appear in films.
I think now that perhaps I shall
when you are watching television
you may see me
imitating
some of the things
that are done here
(From the valedictory speech
of Senator Agnes Robertson of the Country Party, on her retirement from
politics in mid-1962 after 12 years of service. At this time there were five
female Senators and no female members of the House of Representatives. In fact
there were no women in the Reps for a period of 15 years extending from 1951 to
1966.)
(c) Melinda Smith 2016
Thank you for the chance to be part of Project 365+1 for the month of April. I am now 30 drafts closer to my book !! I will keep stopping by to see what everyone is posting. Thank you for all your valuable comments and reactions, and thank you for the privilege of peeking at your works in progress. Toodle pip !
ReplyDeleteNo, not you too! Thank you so much for your great work, Melinda! I'll miss your presence here, and of course, reading your *great* work! Don't be a stranger.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Efi. It has been lovely to (virtually) meet you and I look forward to seeing heaps more of your work !
DeleteAbout the text, what a wonderful story and how well rendered, too!
ReplyDeletePity you have to leave, Melinda — your contribution has been valuable. All the best.
ReplyDeleteThis is a terrific piece - both the poem and the story it's based on. Thanks for highlighting it this way. Thank you for being here and sharing your wonderful work in progress. Please drop in again.
ReplyDeleteGood Lord, is it May already? Apparently I have agreed to start posting in May! You will be a hard act to follow, Melinda. I've enjoyed your poems immensly.
ReplyDeleteGo well Michele ! I'm looking forward to seeing your work on here !
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