Author Topic: Not VMX but of interest to everyone (mens depression)  (Read 6035 times)

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Offline relfy

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Not VMX but of interest to everyone (mens depression)
« on: February 02, 2014, 01:35:17 pm »
I was saddened this morning to see on Facebook, that another battling farmer in Australia took his life after having to put his remaining starving cattle out of their misery. In order to bring light to the plight of those like him, (who are still battling) I ask that you share this poem in honour of all of those struggling through hardships on the land in hope that they too will find the 'Faith' to carry on and I thank you all in advance for your help.

 Without Faith

 He looks out upon the baron land
 And sighs a breath of pain
 His hopes, his dreams, his livelihood
 Been crushed from lack of rain.

 His finances diminished
 His stock a dwindled band
 And he feels like a helpless onlooker
 As life slips through his fingers like sand.

 A young man of forty deplenished
 Though still young he is ravaged by stress
 His marriage and bond with his children
 Is at crisis point, put bluntly, a mess.

 How can he be all that he needs to?
 How can he give more when he’s spent?
 Physically and emotionally
 To the grindstone his life has been bent.

 Inheriting the family property
 Twenty years of keeping tradition alive
 Shouldering debt and commitments
 Now he finds he has no strength to strive.

 His childhood sweetheart Martha
 With darling children Lilly and Tom
 Have travelled away for the weekend
 To visit her sickly mum.

 With trembling hand he holds the pencil
 That signed the letter from the bank
 And as he wrote to wife and children
 His heart and spirit sank.

“These words I write, I could not speak
 Or look you in the face
 The man I was, I am no more
 I’ve neither strength, nor pride, nor grace.

 Martha, dearest Martha
 I have failed you in this life
 Though I have toiled and worked relentlessly
 I know I have let down my darling wife.

 Too proud to stick my hand out
 And accept charity from others
 Too stubborn to leave this blasted block
 And now I feel strangled and smothered.

 I promised for good and for bad
 I promised till death do us part
 I promised to protect and care for you
 I’m so sorry, down deep to my heart.

 I have no more to offer
 I have no more to give
 And my final wish my darling
 Is that you will truly live.

 Move back to town with your father
 Let him care for you and our kin
 And please, alway’s remember I love you
 And please, please forgive me my sin.

 My gorgeous little Lilly
 The apple of my eye
 Remember our good times together
 When you think of me, smile, please don’t cry.

 Young Tom, you’re the man of the house now
 Take care of our special girls
 And heed the mistakes of your father
 Oh my little man, I wish you the world.

 You children have been a blessing
 Please do not carry blame
 My fate is not your doing
 Please carry on my name”

Through tears of pain and anguish
 His saddened eyes look out
 To a calf without his mother
 She too been struck down by the drought.

 His letter not quite finished
 But his duty must be done
 He puts down his trembling pencil
 And replaces it with gun.

 The chamber ready loaded
 Prepared for fateful deed
 But as he looked upon the sickened calf
 He felt this beast had greater need.

 He would empty out the chamber
 To protect the calf from a death more grim
 Reload the gun, switch off the safety
 And do the same for him.

 A swift shot to the temple
 Was the way he’d alway’s done
 So he walked to head off lonely calf
 Beneath the beating son.

 The calf was struck with sickness
 Snotty nose and wrought with scour
 He’d gone without a drink of feed
 For many sun scorched hour

 He ran his hand along calf’s bony back
 Laced with scabbed skin from the sun
 Wiped the tears away from bloodshot eyes
 And raised the trembling gun.

 The calf, two weeks of age and stunted
 Weak and battered down by life
 Surges forward, head butts the farmer
 He would not die without some strife.

“Come back here you foolish youngster
 You’ll be better off this way
 Your fates like mine, we’ve both been doomed
 Let’s end it here today”

He jogs up to the calf’s hind end
 And grabs him by the tail
 Then the calf kicks him in the stomach
 And with a strengthened run set sail.

 Over the dam bank down to the moistened earth
 Where the water used to lay
 He trotted out towards the middle
 Then got stuck, that’s where he stayed.

 The farmer trudged out through the mud and slush
 And sank down to his knees
 Placed the barrel tip to calf’s young head
 Then the trigger he began to squeeze.

 The calf threw his head back left and right
 Knocked the gun from out of his hands
 His body weak, yet his eye was bright
 And it seemed he had other plans.

 Within the stare of this young sick calf
 He could feel the heart of a fighter
 And he shook his head at his own disbelief
 Then he cuddled the little blighter.

 As he walked from the dam with the calf in his arms
 He knew that he too must fight
 For though life was grim it was better to live
 For his children, himself and his wife.

 He took the calf inside and bathed him
 Then set him down beside the fire
 That he started with the letter
 Then he heard the crunch of tyres.

 His family had come back home
 He welcomed them with joy
 And said “Oh it’s great to see you all
 Come meet the little boy”

The children were ecstatic
 As they fed and cuddled calf
 Their dad had named him Faith
 And they couldn’t help but laugh.

 The family grew back together
 Moved to town and changed careers
 And if you pass their front yard, say hi to Faith
 Their healthy full grown steer.


 Written by Guy McLean
 In honour of the men, women and children on the land
 fighting hard in endless days of drought and difficult times.

 Copyright Guy McLean February 2008.

Re: Not VMX but of interest to everyone (mens depression)
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2014, 03:15:09 pm »
Fantastic Relfy, a beautiful poem and great message.

Offline Matador107

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Re: Not VMX but of interest to everyone (mens depression)
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2014, 03:20:50 pm »
Great poem, and unfortunately the drought is back again in many parts of Aust.The Aussie farmer, probably the last true dinky di hard working blokes around.

We in the city would be stuffed without them. I wonder how we in the city can help them apart from buying Aussie.?
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Offline relfy

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Re: Not VMX but of interest to everyone (mens depression)
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2014, 08:57:59 pm »
Great comments however I believe until both the Government and the A CCC get some balls to take on the retail giants farmers in Australia will continue to get screwed , Depression is certainly not just a farmer issue it is something that is very widespread and we need to watch out for our mates.

Offline TooFastTim

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Re: Not VMX but of interest to everyone (mens depression)
« Reply #4 on: February 03, 2014, 10:17:23 am »
I know his desperation. Thanks for sharing.

<has to rush off to read "Clancy of the overflow">

Offline firko

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Re: Not VMX but of interest to everyone (mens depression)
« Reply #5 on: February 03, 2014, 10:23:47 am »
Thanks Relfy.....a relevant poem and an important subject.
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Offline Ted

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Re: Not VMX but of interest to everyone (mens depression)
« Reply #6 on: February 03, 2014, 07:05:48 pm »
Great poem, and unfortunately the drought is back again in many parts of Aust.The Aussie farmer, probably the last true dinky di hard working blokes around.

We in the city would be stuffed without them. I wonder how we in the city can help them apart from buying Aussie.?

There you go Stephen. As per our conversation the other day, why don't you ride for this cause. I have no doubt people will contribute. If you do it i will kick it off with $100. Go for it.
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Offline Charlie B

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Re: Not VMX but of interest to everyone (mens depression)
« Reply #7 on: February 03, 2014, 11:26:27 pm »
Great poem, and unfortunately the drought is back again in many parts of Aust.The Aussie farmer, probably the last true dinky di hard working blokes around.

We in the city would be stuffed without them. I wonder how we in the city can help them apart from buying Aussie.?

There you go Stephen. As per our conversation the other day, why don't you ride for this cause. I have no doubt people will contribute. If you do it i will kick it off with $100. Go for it.

+$100 from me too for an important cause.......
Retiring ... all bikes and parts must go.....  1984 KX250's (2 off) and Resto Project 1983 KX125's (3 off)

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HeavenVMX

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Re: Not VMX but of interest to everyone (mens depression)
« Reply #8 on: February 04, 2014, 12:01:28 am »
Steve, that is truly sad news about another farmer seeing no other way out and the poem is both gut wrenching and inspiring. When we spoke on the phone a week or so ago you had a great idea for helping the fight against the ‘black dog’. These terrible disorders shatter far too many lives and families and most people have been touched either directly or through a friend or family member. You still have not floated your great idea here so I’ll start the ball rolling as it has merit.

The Australian 4 day Enduro is coming to the NSW Dungog area on 12-16 August 2014. It would be a fantastic opportunity to raise money for the Black Dog Institute and also raise the profile of Classic Dirt Bikes.

The possibility of running either a club or state teams challenge would be excellent. Each rider seeking donor sponsors to raise money for each day or each test they complete going toward a great cause. The presence of classic dirt bikes in such a high profile event would also be excellent exposure for our sport.

We could possibly have three person state teams with each team made up an EVO, Pre85 & Pre90 rider. Think of seeing a Maico 490, ’84 KTM & ’87 Husky Auto or some SWMs once again taking part in an A4DE.

Does this idea have merit? Would enough riders be interested? We have only 6 months so time is short.

The whole thing needs a driver and co-ordinator. Even to contact the organisers to see if they would accept the entries and the logistics need planning. The best person for the job is someone with A4DE experience.

I am not an Enduro rider of the past or present but more than happy to assist in any way possible and both Steve and I live reasonably close to Dungog.

If we had even four state teams and each rider raised $500 that would be $6000. Now that is not going to find a cure but it certainly would be inspiring, raise the profile of classic dirt bikes and the ‘Black Dog Institute’ within the wider dirt bike community. All good things

Offline Matador107

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Re: Not VMX but of interest to everyone (mens depression)
« Reply #9 on: February 04, 2014, 08:26:54 am »
Put me down for a $100 as well.
Bultaco Metralla, Matador MK 5, Montadero mk2, El Bandido model 18,plus lots of bits and two Honda XR's 250,350.

Offline relfy

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Re: Not VMX but of interest to everyone (mens depression)
« Reply #10 on: February 04, 2014, 09:38:10 am »
Thanks for the positive feedback and yes Greg is right about the possibility of some VMX guys having a crack at the Aussie 4 day to raise both funds and awareness of male depression, I for one am going to ride the 4 day as it is only 20 mins from where I live .I have been asked by some mates to do it on a modern bike however if we were to get a group of guys that commit to doing it on a VMX bike then I will go with the VMX group and help with fund raising etc . What I think we now need is to see whether anyone is interested in having a go at it , I believe it would be great  fun to do something like this with the good people that are involved with VMX but above all doing it for a good cause . Is anybody interested ????

Offline firko

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Re: Not VMX but of interest to everyone (mens depression)
« Reply #11 on: February 04, 2014, 09:50:13 am »
I'll throw in a quid or two for a great concept and a great awareness cause. Where do we send our money?
'68 Yamaha DT1 enduro, '69 Yamaha 'DT1 from Hell' '69 DT1'Dunger from Hell, '69 Cheney Yamaha 360, 70 Maico 350 (2 off), '68 Hindall Ducati 250, Hindall RT2MX, Hindall YZ250a , Cycle Factory RT2MX flat tracker, Yamaha 1T250J, Maico 250 trials, '71, Boyd and Stellings TM400, Shell OW72,750 Yamaha

Offline Nathan S

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Re: Not VMX but of interest to everyone (mens depression)
« Reply #12 on: February 04, 2014, 01:00:28 pm »
Fantastic idea.
Now to find a decent 89 KDX200 and a way to pay for it... Hmmm. Probably easier just to donate! :)

Seriously, I will be riding this year's A4DE. If there's any way I can help with support/logistics/whatever, then I will.
The good thing about telling the truth is that you don't have to remember what you said.

Offline Mick D

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Re: Not VMX but of interest to everyone (mens depression)
« Reply #13 on: February 04, 2014, 01:12:35 pm »
I am very interested to make a commitment, but first I need to know more.
Six months to prepare, check.
At beautiful Dungog NSW, check

Is there a capacity class thing for vintage entries?
Do they bikes have to road registered?
What vintage classes does one have a choice of?
Pre-78?
Evo?
Pre-85?
Pre-90?

How does it work? I am optimistic that I could keep myself and a bike running for four days,
as long as I could use moose tubes and not have to do tyre changing duties on the fly?

How does the money raising thing happen?
Do we the competitors door knock for sponsors?
"light weight, and it works great"  :)

Offline FourstrokeForever

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Re: Not VMX but of interest to everyone (mens depression)
« Reply #14 on: February 04, 2014, 01:14:34 pm »
Heart wrenching poem Relfy. Thanks for highlighting the plight of our farmers and mens depression. Too many people, blokes in particular, are afraid of speaking out if they need help as they see it as some sign of weakness. Seek help if you need it, please. I know I did and it all helps make the days a bit easier.
Arrogance.....A way of life for the those that having nothing further to learn.