Bob Hawke was Prime Minister of Australia from the mid 80s to the early 90s. He has recently been the subject of a TV drama and the second biography of his life by Blanche d'Alpuget.
For more writers' takes on this Magpie prompt click here or on the image.
Bob Hawke had
ambition
charisma
a family
a fire in his guts
to lead his beloved Australia
Bob Hawke
lived the life of a p
ublic larrikindrank to excess
laughed too loudly
cried for his daughter
worked his charm on skirts across town
fell in love
with an inconvenient woman
Bob Hawke
gave up the grog
curbed his loutish side
cooled the embers of his secret love
to become Prime Minister
Nine years he lived
his truth
his lie
walked beside his public wife
to pursue his destiny.
Nine years he warmed his hands
with the fire
for his invisible beloved
Blanche
doused the embers for his faithful Hazel
to love his love
as he loved himself -
With a burning passion
13 comments:
Good piece. I think Hazel got the rough end of the pineapple after sticking with him through everything.
he loved himself...that said so much...nicely played magpie!
a powerful piece nicely done!
Narcissism is the order of the day and sad really because if not for such overdoses of self-love and self-admiration Hawke could still be a great man.
A layered and thoughtful piece. Thanks.
i may be the only one who doesn't know bob hawke but i aim to after reading your post! you have written in such a fascinating way, luring me in with powerful and to-the-point facts about a man who seems to be well loved...and much hated!!
I too do not know of the Bob Hawke...but he sounds like rather a lout- and too self asorbed to be of any great value to anyone. Now I must go read about him. Interesting post!
I don't know this guy, but he sounds like a jerk. Poor Hazel.
Cannot say I know much (anything!:() about Bob Hawke, but reading this post made me think that it was a neat tribute!
Kudos..
Great Magpie, I have learned something today about Mr. Hawke...he lived, he loved...bkm
thoughtful tale.
the character comes to life.
Bob lived a persona. His intellect (Rhodes scholar) drove him to achieve extraordinary change for his country. But his reality was the little boy who never did grow up, craving acceptance, limelight and love, who constantly threatened to destroy the man.
I love it when Magpie pieces educate ... and yours did in a wonderfully creative way.
Thanks for visiting.
Sue: Dead right. hazel's story would be fascinating. sadly as you would know she's suffering an advanced alzheimer condition.
Elisabeth, Stafford: A man full of contradictions. I liked him myself flaws and all.
Sheri, Kathew: he's worth following up. he and his offsider (Paul Keating) who eventually deposed him, changed the face of australia. His personal life was wild. His now wife Blanche is also his biographer and wrote the first volume of his life while she was estranged from him - how weird is that!
Willow: he had his positive aspects. At least Blanche thought so - she hung in there for 25 years before he married her.
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