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.