Australia Mine

 

One morning in Byron I woke from my bed

and what do you think I did see?

a highway stretched out all silver and shining

..and I knew where I wanted to be

So I packed up my car,
and soon hit the tar

...my adventure was just beginning..

Down the North Coast, past the cane fields

I arrived at Coolongolook River

the Mandarin tree was laden with fruit

..but the weather would make you shiver

Old Clancy's still here, and sits in his chair

his drovin' days are  long gone

when he mustered cows on The Overflow

...there's more grey in his hair now, than fair

then into the ' Castle, where the smoke stacks all belch

and the Hunter River flows

the people are friendly, the pubs are real good

and the Black Gold sits in neat rows

Through Sydney's burbs, the sky's getting bigger
the Suzuki is belting along

gum trees at last, and birds in the sky
...now I'm where I belong

Down by Lake George
the wind farms are swishing

as the sun climbs high in the sky
I glance at the needle, now gone past a hundred
..the white lines are whizzing by..

Into the Capital and down the wide Streets
The Big House House sits on its own
stand in a queue and wait for my ticket
...this is the best show in town

In the Great Hall hang ghosts from the past

their portraits are all there,

except for our Kev, and the flame haired girl

...a highly unlikely pair

Mr Whitlam is there, looking so pleased

as well he might have done

and dear old Paul in his Zegna suit

...probably still missing the fun..

John Winston sits last, looking benign

and well and truly real

his work now all done, he looks a bit sad

...he never saw the sign.
Obama was here just a few days ago
and we all soaked up his charm
the footprint he left, was graceful and light
...his smile was like a balm.

Now through the security and into the galleries,

and finally get a seat

the red headed girl's in the House now
...her rise has been quite a feat.

As she drones on, Joe's getting bored
and Tony keeps scratching his head,

' Who's paying for this ?' he just keeps on asking

...but they all want to go home to bed

Then the Man in the Box yells "Order, I say !! "
and  the afternoon drags on and on.

till Albo jumps up and yells in disgust

..." you're all a bunch of morons! "

The member for Sturt is looking real hurt

he's just been asked to withdraw

but the man in the Box refuses to budge

...he's beginning to find him a bore..

Then I call  out, " Just answer, you fools "
apparently not the done thing

two men have appeared,one on each side,
...and quietly show me the door..
So back on the road, and wave goodbye
and soon I find the turn,
where the dog still sits on that same box
.. and its still five miles from town

My children are calling, just what were you thinking?
you can't keep on a 'wandering

just turn around now, and get back up here
...on deaf ears, their calls are falling

Cos' inside the car Dylan is singing

while the cockatoos fly overhead
and the Adelong Hills sit there in the sun

and the snowfields are over the Ridge

Zip down the Hume, what a beautiful road
and across the Murrimbidgee..
now the border is close, I can see the wheat fields

...and the vineyards are racing towards me…

A Gippsland girl born and raised

the wheatfields are foreign to me

but I soon see some cows, and a farmer or two

...who send me a lazy wave

Into the Glen, Home of the Port
with vines for miles and miles
sit in the Grove, and sip on a wine
...the likes I have never have bought

Off to the Cup at Corowa now

across the mighty Murray

the horses start off, the jockeys are set

...who'll win, just nobody knows..

Its getting hot now, I need a beer

so back to the pub at  Rutherglen

the man on TV is calling the Cup

..but my horse is not among them

Then onto Glenrowan, and pose next to Ned
and wonder at his life

like me he did wander, that is,till he hung
...and paid for all his strife
Now I'm in Holbrook, a shrine to the wars
and the Army boys are all here
They all look tall,and give me a smile
..while they open up the doors
At last into Melbourne, its been much too long

where my friend waits at her door

'It's so good to see you, just come on inside'

...this place, is where I was born.
Spring has come to the Dandenong Hills
all the blossoms are out
The old house is still standing, it's just had a reno,
...it makes me want to shout!

My family are here, and have always been
just like the

Flinders Street

Station
The green trams still run, the Bay is out there
...and the people, just love to be seen

So the Great Southern Land is still right here

and it's always been our own 

forget about Paris, Greece or Madrid

...right here, sits the Jewel in the Crown

So happy at last, I turn to go home

but my children have just no idea

that I'm already planning, in a New Year just dawning

…just where I'll be wandering, next year..

And I'm happy to know

that it's still the same country

and the language is still 'strine

 sunburnt for sure, flooded sometimes

 ... but still this Australia, Mine !!

robyn ritchie

october 2011

Stop the boats, start the boats

or send them all to Malayasia

just let 'em all in, there's plenty of room

.the wide brown land will embrace them..