Saturday 16 August 2014

WETTING THE DRY

Over 70% f the state of Queensland Australia has been drought declared even in coastal areas but right now we are receiving some widespread rain.  It won't end the drought and the grass is not going to grow quick enough to relieve the feed situation but it gives the farmers hope - something that has been in pretty short supply over the last 2 years.






WETTING THE DRY….Maureen Clifford ©  The Scribbly Bark Poet

It was dry and drear and dusty in those far off distant lands
and the drought was hitting hard and claiming souls
TV weather men had not the least bit of news to impart
regarding breaking rain or reaching monthly goals.
The shadow of the sun stretched wide across our sunburnt land
and folks out west would give their heart away
to hear the pitter-patter of some rain upon their roof
but it seems it wouldn’t happen – not today.

There were intermittent drizmals, scarce enough to lay the dust.
There were far more tears upon a windowpane
and raindrops on red roses were a distant memory now
the roses had died and would not bloom again.
There were prayers carried to heaven in the arms of angels fair
there were benedictions chanted in the church,
there were desperate pleas from farmers, but it seems all went unheard
for the weather Gods had left all in the lurch.

But then a change did happen and the Gods answered the call
sending weather wet and wild across the land
and the dirt, picked by the handful, that would blow away in dust
turned to rich red mud that squelched within his hand.
There was run off in the contours and the dams were filling slow
and the cattle and the horses seemed to rally
as a tinge of green appeared like a miracle over night
softly cloaking all the land from hill to valley.

One could hear the splish splash of the water dripping into tanks
and the splish and splosh as it leaked on the floor
from a dripping roof where tin had rusted out around a nail
but it mattered not – they rejoiced in the roar
drifting across the paddock from a dry creek now in flood
after months and months without a drop of rain
This country tears your heart out – she is harsh and she is hard
but how quickly she will give it back again.


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