" BLOW OUT THE CANDLE MARY" poem by NANCY BLAKE

[Duncan Williams]

(O.A.M.,Order Of Australia) I first met Mrs Nancy Blake at a poets meeting at the Village Homes in Gunnedah about ten years ago. Mrs Blake was a kindly lady ' a person in whom you'd love to call your mother'.
Mrs Blake was awarded the Order Of Australia Medal for her services for many years to the Goolhi District and was a keen member of a North-West Poets Group.


"Blow Out The Candle Mary"

Blow out the candle Mary, it's time to go to sleep,
Father won't be home tonight, his camping with the sheep.
He's camping with the sheep Mary, for many a long night more,
The grass is all gone from here, and baby's eyes are sore.

And baby's eyes are sore Mary, i fear it is the blight,
It's very dry and dusty here, and lonely in the night.
It's lonely in the night Mary, i wish your dad were home,
The tank is getting low, we must carry on alone.

We must carry on alone Mary, as women must and do,
When menfolk are out droving, to earn a quid or two!
To earn a quid or two Mary, to keep our farms afloat,
We must all pull together, or else we'll all go broke.

So blow out the candle Mary, and pray we'll soon have rain,
And dust will turn to mud, and grass will grow again.
And grass will grow again Mary, so father can come home,
With the bleating of the sheep, no more battling on alone.


Nancy Blake (O.A.M.,Order Of Australia)

[Maureen K Clifford]

Thank you Duncan for sharing this with us... I know there would be many women on properties today who could totally relate to this. I think Nancy pretty well nailed it.

Cheers

Maureen