Low rumbling thunder clouds form
Darkness covers the plains
Cattle, white-eyed, fearing storm
Lightning strikes dry trees
Trees split in two, sliced like butter
Goanna scuttle, snakes slither
Kangaroo bound heading for caves
Willy Willy dances hither and thither
Heavens open wide, slapping dry earth
Increasing to hail thrashing trees
Cockatoos screech - flying backwards
Cattle low in fear tails to the wind
Ringer gallops to herd the mob
Alone he drives them home
Whip cracking over their backs
He was born in the saddle
Glass shattering, teeth chattering
Shutters flying, children crying
Nothing new to this gathering
Sun pokes mushroom clouds, sighing
Australia - land of many faces
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Author Notes
Contest entry for Free Verse Poem: In the outback, cattle stations (some up to a million acres) men and women on the land are tough. Some children have never seen rain. A drought can go on for up to six years. When the rains come, flooding is so welcome for the crops and beasts.
Goanna: huge tree-climbing lizard (around six feet) steals bird eggs and can be aggressive if approached.
Willy Willy: dust lifted like a mini-tornado from the dry earth.
Cockatoo: Many types of these big birds e.g Sulfur Crested Cockatoo is huge as far as birds go. They are very destructive, tear bark from trees.
Ringer: Station rider who looks after stock. Many aborigines are ringers, their riding skills are amazing.
Hither and thither: to and fro (backwards and forwards.) Enjoy!
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