In October 2021, we lost a wonderful poet, sculptor, great supporter of WOL and generally bloody nice buy in Bob McKinnon.

Bob was mentoring Linton Sharples, who has penned this tribute to Bob. We’re told the pair were to have done a combined exhibition last year at the Dunolly Arts Hub, and Linton’s collection, Ramblings of a Slow Talking Poet, is to be updated to include the piece.

Details: Linton Sharples aka ‘The Slow Talking Poet’ has been writing verse since his late teens. He is a Central Goldfields writer with an acquired brain injury, and his original work has been shown in exhibitions online at the Dunolly Arts Hub, presented at open mic sessions in the region with poet legend mentor Bob McKinnon, for Words in Winter Central Goldfields 2021 at Maryborough and Dunolly, and for Clunes Words in Winter 2021. He is so grateful for Bob’s mentoring he wrote this tribute to his memory.

It reads:

“Ode to Bob McKinnon”

Bob grew up on Misery Plains,

Died in Clunes aged 62.

From his family and friends,

Hear the sad refrain.

Bob was a man among men,

That’s why we’re all so blue.

By The Slow Talking Poet.

(copyright #theslowtalkingpoet 2021)