song for a wanderer

68

from the rise in front of the homestead
where I was wont to stand
to see how the sheep were going
and check the lie of the land
to my amazement on the horizon
I saw a figure hurrying by
dressed I thought extraordinarily
in a bush hat coat-tails and bow tie

where the devil he was off to
I couldn’t even guess
there was bugger all behind him
and ahead of him even less
I’m afraid I never found out
why he was oddly dressed
did what he wanted require him
to be clothed in his Sunday best

was he hoping to find a lover
lying back among the grasses
one who would look on him kindly
and respond to his advances
if so he had a long way to go
such joys are not found on the plains
he’ll have to complete his journey
to a land where it sometimes rains