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This collection of poems, “The Ivy Entangles”, attempts to share with the reader some of the inner thoughts, the sentiments and perhaps at times a certain perspective or opinion of some events, people and places that have been significant to me during my life to date. It must be stated at the outset that my interpretation of some of the facts are a personal outpouring. I express my personal feelings but realise that some of those opinions may be questioned or doubted by some of the main protagonists for want of a better word. The collection is not all morbid and I trust that there are some happy renditions. It is my first venture into the public arena.

In some respect, I would classify myself as eccentric yet I can be quite introverted and introspective when the occasion demands. This combination throws people who believe that a person who can seemingly be so extroverted and “out there” could also possibly be a deep thinker. It needs to be stated also that at school I was considered to be anything but extroverted. I forge ahead with the project because I believe that on balance the poems in the collection have been “received” with a good deal of grace and favour by people who have been “sought out” to sample the poems and give of their opinion.

The collection of poems is varied and catches the threads of my own life. It is difficult to reveal one’s inner thoughts and at the same time feel confident that you can meet the wind full on. Some poems have been left out of the collection because they are too personal or introspective. However, I have revealed a fair portion of the inner self and the people and places that are precious to me or have had a significant impact on my life to date.

The final copy marks a distinct change in mind set from the original drafts. It attempts to give some context to the poems in terms of personal background. It recognises that there needs to be a “healing” in most situations that arise and affect the human “psyche”. The final copy sets out in a manner of speaking “to raise the bar’ to explore some of the deeper crevices and “places” of the inner self not previously visited.

There are three main phases in the book. The first phase focuses on my “formative years”. It presents my dealing with people, issues and events that have been responsible for the shaping of the “person” that I am today. The focus of the second phase will be on places that we have lived, visited or have some experience of. Poems on Sydney, Parramatta, Melbourne, Perth, Paris and Belfast will form the main material, but it will also be added to by some poems about sport namely the “2010/11 Ashes series”, the “2010 Football World Cup”, “The Parra Blues” and some other light-hearted fare.

The third phase will focus more on issues related to the current political scenarios in Australia including topics such as immigration, violence against women, the array and influence of religion and the changing face of the RSL. The main approach is to merely present a personal perspective and opinion of the political “sniping” that has taken place over the last number of years in Australia.

The pencil sketches that accompany some of the poems hopes to compliment the main ideas and people covered. The scanned photographs also add a “wee” bit of character and it is hoped, give the poems a “human feel”.

I thank my wife Eileen for her constant support and my daughters Ellen and Sophie for putting up with me whilst I wrote and invariably asked for their opinion on occasion. Michelle Simpson deserves my gratitude for her ongoing support and for having her finger “on the pulse”. I also thank my mother Anne Gill for the numerous conversations that we had pertaining to the book. It is hoped that I can venture down that road of writing an account of my mother’s “words” one day.

I recognise Romano Yehudi Solo (Gypsy Pie) as one of the participants of the journey who gave me the encouragement and confidence in the quality of the work to persevere. He became a “kindred spirit” of sorts. He paid me a great honour by agreeing to write the introduction for the first edition. Thank you mate!

I thank Officeworks at Parramatta and at Old Guildford for the assistance that their staff gave, particularly with the scanning of the sketches and photographs and bindings for the original drafts. I also am indebted to the librarians at Guildford library, who always humoured me and read some of my earlier drafts. Their own “love and pursuit of knowledge” made me feel humble and I thank them all.

Dermot Gill (May 2012)

A person’s source of information can often influence one’s interpretation of people and events. There can be a “skew” on either side of the truth. The oral tradition was alive and kicking with “Anne Gill (nee Mc Guire). For years and thankfully to this day I listen to the words that come forth from Anne. There is integrity, in what she relates that belies what some might think as “auto pilot”. My impressions and to a large degree my interpretation of a large number of “facts” have been influenced by listening to my mother’s oral rendition (or “tapes” to give an analogy) of the same. Anne had a very good memory, and it was rare that a word was ever out of place in her “telling of the story”. Some “tapes” could be repeated. It depends, where you came in.

There is a sense of “please can someone record my story” about Anne. The work will use as one of its sources “Anne’s words” and the reflections of Dermot.

The poem “Dear Ma” encapsulates this basic concept. It is a pouring out of the sentiments that are and were felt about our mother. She sacrificed everything as most mothers do and her own welfare was never thought of. What is most heartening about the whole affair is that this poem reflects clearly what the “five of us” think of the lady (Dear Ma) who raised us as a single Mum.