Published in Overland Issue 220 Spring 2015 · Uncategorized Young folly John Tranter It must seem like a mountain of folly to the old people, but we take our chances and we’re always on the ready. We’re on the ready, right now, and yet they think we’re just a troubled handful of trouble, just can’t go straight, can’t go straight like the arrow of time that speeds from ancient times to right now to get you between the eyes. This is the realm behind the eyes, with its whip-quick answers to how to behave, its cheap vow to be better, much better, quickly broken so that what is not better is boarding at boarding time, those giant flying machines. We take a drag, and fuck the lung. Fuck the drag of the air, the horizon’s curve. We’re all going on a summer holiday, already gone into sad age waiting, with just a wave. ‘Young folly’ began as a draft using the end-words of ‘The young’ by Roddy Lumsden John Tranter John Tranter is an Australian poet, publisher and editor. More by John Tranter › Overland is a not-for-profit magazine with a proud history of supporting writers, and publishing ideas and voices often excluded from other places. If you like this piece, or support Overland’s work in general, please subscribe or donate. Related articles & Essays 26 July 202426 July 2024 · Poetry Song of despair πO A new poem by πO 24 July 202424 July 2024 · pop culture Swamp monster of the rock’n’roll de/generation Rock Chugg In the 1980s, a horrible time was had by all. Yet the assorted Australian talent for making the best of a bad thing, gave us the most important and characteristic popular music genre, locals have (n)ever known.