(after a painting by Augustus Earle, c. 1850)
so
what was the joke
‘Australians’
around your fire?
more of a fairytale forest in
Translvania haunted
by hobgoblins & vampires
than the
Victorian bush —
your hoods & tall hats
dogs stretched
heads out on paws
feigning lazy sleep
the smoke from the fire
drifting left to right
& your one (visible) packhorse
being shod —
maybe youre off soon
— again —
the way of wild beast &
bushfire
away from all youve ever heard of
or been brought up to know
following thru the high grass
some white goddess
abundantly fleshed
(one of Lindsays)
pounding along without a puff
tempting you all to
an orgy in the centre of
the continent —
oh —
forget it travellers
there is no Elysian field —
the thumb of her right hand
inclined brutishly
Up yer!
a myth it was a goose-chase
never ever on.
