Winner of the Burnie Gold Pot 2011
Johnny Stark
This is the tale of Johnny Stark
A gnome he was in Burnie Park.
From whence he came nobody knew,
But o’er the years a legend grew
That he’d been by a sculptor cast
In solid bronze, so that he’d last.
A local family then had paid
To have him in the park displayed.
And as young children frolicked by,
They’d see the twinkle in his eye.
But then one night, when it was dark,
Some vandals thought that, for a lark,
They’d push him o’er with one big heave.
Next morn, the gardeners came apace
To find the gnome flat on his face.
“To put him back will be too hard -
I think we’ll take him to the yard.”
To Johnny now, this was bad news -
To go there quietly, he’d refuse.
When all was clear, he made his way
Across the road, The Bass Highway.
Until he came upon the shore -
Why has he not been here before?
To see the waves and hear the cry
Of seagulls wheeling in the sky.
Then Johnny knew that from this day
Hilder Parade is where he’d stay.
And here he would be clearly seen
By all who walked upon the green.
Now tourists came from far and wide
To have a photo by his side.
And shops in town are doing well
With all the souvenirs they sell.
The aldermen are happy, too,
That Burnie has an icon new
And from now on they’ll take great care,
No matter what, that he’ll stay there.
Hilder Parade is now the home
Of Johnny, Burnie’s 10-foot gnome.
© John D. Duncan July 2011
