the sun reflects across polished grey surfaces
water beading off glass and metal
a quiet movement and the travellers are away
travelling to reconnect with the wider world
to think and see things outside the box- to feel the wind and rain
to cry-to grieve for lost freedoms and memories
roadways winding through tree lined streets
fringed with grey faceless buildings
receding more as the distances increase
Roads shrink from multilane chaos to dusty ribbons
country roads winding through space and peace
houses becoming sparse and hills and trees increase
gentle rolling grasslands appear around winding bends
pasture once burnt and brown now slowly greening again
trees standing huddled together in small groups
as if discussing the recent events
fire and flood again and still they are standing - surviving
everyday events in the bush
but somehow they have been different this year
the intensity more frightening
the duration much longer
The fear more vivid
both animals and humans absorbed in terror and isolation
retreating before the flames
surviving the devastation of the aftermath
-
villages in remote areas disappearing into the past
Buildings and livelihoods crumbling
Lifestyles vaporised
memories and fear the only commodities in full supply
on lonely concrete silos standing isolated
visions of history being created again
Celebrating the small
Intimate visions of families and history
Of the local generations
reminiscences of local people
local events echoing down through time
preserving the little for the many
country halls now falling into disrepair
The ghosts of country dances fading
Sounds of laughter still float on the wind on moonless nights
communities are dying slowly
building by building
street by street
Street signs peeling with neglect
schools and pubs no longer full
fading families and fading jobs
Movements in time, slow and inevitable?
Perhaps not but certainly apparent
-
the people are leaving the outback
The old bush town is dying
the spirit of communities is fading back into the bush
falling between the rocks and disappearing in the potholes of progress
old families and their memories being replaced
not with new lives and memories
rather with fear and mistrust -
history not written but forgotten
at a rapidly increasing rate
small farms swallowed by corporate greed and mega thinking
Big is better they say
They believe their advertising
They should
After all they wrote it
But big is not always best
big doesn't remember the small
Big does not recognise or remember
the smell of honest sweat and broken hearts ignored
Big does not think beyond the one
The vision is clouded
Because it is viewed through a fractured lens
Focused on the mighty dollar not the fragile person
the pieces of the bigger patchwork not seen
pieces of the puzzle of life and order oblivious
-
nature and natural systems degrading and disappearing
rivers soaking into the dust of their banks
Mismanagement from offices in concrete canyons
Far from the river and the red dust
Numbers on balance sheets blurring the vision
now more important than people or the land
bare burnt and dead trees standing as stark reminders
Visions of what once was there
animals on the short march into extinction
Pools of dead fish piled high amongst growing dust mounds
my country is crying but even her tears are no longer falling
the beauty of the mountains once lush and vibrant
now stark and bare
lonely places where once life abounded
forests of dead stumps and burnt carcasses
replacing the colour and grandeur with black ochre pain
but wait
look closely
there is green among the black
nature is resilient
Life hangs on
-
It must be remembered time moves slowly and purposefully
The systems of nature and the natural world are resilient
man is but a blink in the history of the world
He has come abruptly on the scene
But is a minor player
in the aspect and history of the natural world
And will go just as quickly
Probably of his own making
leaving unfortunate scars of his time here
but these hopefully will heal
time will reach out and cradle the pain and replace the hurt
nature is complex
interconnected networks of everything and everyone
Communities of life forms that co exist
Gaia is the one and the many
Both large and small
Communal thought and action
working together in ways man can only dream of
Some are aware of the complexity
And stand in awe of its resilience and majesty
But unfortunately it is the minority that have the most power
The power to destroy through small minded ignorance
the ability to do the most damage without seeing
Refusing to hear the cries for help echoing around them
-
But optimism is a human trait that may win out
Children look to their future through fresh eyes
A future where everyone must co exist to exist
A future needing action now
Thinking and doing
what in the past has only been given lip service
Elders forgetting their obligations to the next generation
Focused on self absorbed views
Where others only wonder what happened and move on
The future has a champion
It is the true human spirit
Seen through fresh spirits and bright but sad eyes
The spirit that recognises and is aware of man’s place
The awareness of insignificance
A small place in the big scheme
With hope for both humanity and nature
The future has hope
the individual being aware and part of the whole
and the whole hopefully part of the individual
I hope I can be here to see it
Written 2020
Dr Geoff Wilmshurst spent 40 years as a professional teacher in disability education. He now spends his time travelling , writing and painting, and enjoying life with his wife Lorraine. He lives in the Blue Mountains in NSW, and finds inspiration for his work in its environment and that of similar places such as Tasmania and New Zealand. He hopes through art and poetry to connect with others, to make a positive difference in their lives, and to share the experience of what it means to be human and part of the natural world.
