If we knew you then, would our vista be
One of tents and mines and mullock heaps
Of cross-cut saw, savanna cleared
Traversing camel, cattle and sheep all here?
Or further back, ‘fore ships arrived
With strangers from afar
Mountains, trees and river flows
A people sunned, of this land a part?
In season’s change, see broken hearts
As we witness the affray
Of black and white, and northern lands
Sons and daughters lost – to our dismay
Survey across the ages past
From foot to cart to rail
Motorcar on bitumen
Paddle wheel and long road-train
Cereals grown, produced en-masse
Pork, beef, milk, and mutton
Flooding rains and rivers
Drought lands, dry and sullen
Vines and wine and food galore
Families here, longstanding
Visitors who come and go
Some returning through each season
Tractor, header, combine, ute
Wine and pies and cars
Building’s from another time
New ventures yet to start
Rutherglen, our long-time home
Evolving over time
Preserved in memories passed along
Through picture, story, song and rhyme
Gina Schmidt 8/7/2015 – Written and recited for Arts Rutherglen
Image 1: View along Autumnal grapevines
Image 2: Sun setting below a hill, silhouette of a tree in the foreground
Image 3: Wintery, showery view along a fence line, from the gate post into the paddock (field) beyond
Image 4: Canola crop in flower, blurred trees behind
Image 5: View along old timber fence posts combined with new and rusted wire, sun setting in the distance
Image 6: A young steer peering suspiciously through the mob
Image 7: Remains of a tree once living amidst a green crop, canola crop in flower behind
Image 8: Early morning sun rising, seen through the naked branches of a once living tree
Image 9: Old timber farm machinery in the grass, beneath the trees on a side road
Image 10: Old windmill and overhead tank on stand
Gina you have written the story of Rutherglen so succinctly in this beautiful poem. Your photography to complement the poem is outstanding.
Wonderful work.
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Thank you so much. I really appreciate the feedback 😊
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