Waiting for the Past

A poignant exploration of memory, nature, and the passage of time in the Australian landscape.Les Murray's Waiting for the Past offers a collection of lyrics rich in the topographies and languages of the Australian landscape. From wonga vines and lyre birds to gum trees and tallow boughs, Murray's poems celebrate the unique beauty of his homeland. Resisting the leveling forces of modernity, Murray favors old-fashioned typewriters, lived-in places, and farming in the spirit of ancestors. These poems speak of the unspeakable, including old age, vertigo, illness, and the durable resilience of married love. For readers who appreciate thoughtful reflections on nature, memory, and the enduring power of the past.