tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812366260875678630.post4328261179008359138..comments2024-02-01T22:39:49.779+13:00Comments on Bigger Than Ben Hur: Tuesday Poem: "The Shamans of Mandurah - Part One: The Wanderer"Ben Hurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08367615722744097913noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812366260875678630.post-61630095535298114902012-03-28T12:02:34.647+13:002012-03-28T12:02:34.647+13:00The Mandurah of today is an even more extreme vers...The Mandurah of today is an even more extreme version of what you describe. Real estate agents flog multi-million dollar "dream homes" (that have absolutely no appeal to me) yet Mandurah has the highest rates of bankruptcies amongst lower income people. A report on social conditions in Mandurah described "a tale of two cities" as the differences between the haves and have-nots are so extreme here. Last year a father and his two children died in a camping ground when the tent they were living in burnt down, just a few hundred metres from multi-million dollar homes. Sadly you would find much of intrest here to update your beautifully observed poem.Deidrenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812366260875678630.post-80504745092867717032012-03-25T14:44:15.797+13:002012-03-25T14:44:15.797+13:00He very much reminded me of a bear in that he was ...He very much reminded me of a bear in that he was large in height and build, but not really fat, just a big man. And people seemed to equate his size with the potential for violence and aggression whereas, like many bears, he just wanted to be left alone and, if left alone, he wouldn't hurt a fly. I could sense he had a gentle, but sad nature.Ben Hurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08367615722744097913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8812366260875678630.post-70132443662472522292012-03-21T10:31:49.122+13:002012-03-21T10:31:49.122+13:00You must have met many interesting folk driving ta...You must have met many interesting folk driving taxis in a small town, Andrew! I agree, social outliers have a lot to offer. I was particularly drawn to the image of the wanderer like a bear forgotten by a travelling circus - it paints such an apt picture.Elizabeth Welshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15420253723750754324noreply@blogger.com