THE EYES OF THE WORLD

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Maureen K Clifford
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THE EYES OF THE WORLD

Post by Maureen K Clifford » Sat Dec 22, 2018 6:59 pm

THE EYES OF THE WORLD .. Maureen Clifford © The #ScribblyBark Poet

Written for the brumbies of Curtis Island, Barmah Forest, Singleton and Holdsworthy Army Bases
who were aerially culled, or flooded out and left to starve in August and December 2018.

The eyes of the world are upon you
the eyes of the world will surely see
the lack of care and cruelty that surrounds you
your shameful treatment of our loved brumby.

The eyes of the world they are all seeing,
they'll remember the plot when you are gone
the brumby's history captured by poets,
and their story will be shared often in song.

Don't think their culling will soon be forgotten
for the memories of the public are quite long,
'twill become part of folklore and of history -
a story that will linger, become strong.

In years to come when small children ask questions
about animals seen only on TV.
Doubtless, wide eyed they'll come across a brumby
and ask why it's no longer running free.

The child that asks the question might be family
of yours - will you stand up and take the blame
for eliminating horses, strong yet gentle?
Or will you then just hang your head in shame?

The eyes of the world are now upon you,
and the eyes of the world most surely see
that you are the cause, not the solution ...
for you didn't care enough to see them free.
Check out The Scribbly Bark Poets blog site here -
http://scribblybarkpoetry.blogspot.com.au/


I may not always succeed in making a difference, but I will go to my grave knowing I at least tried.

Terry
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Re: THE EYES OF THE WORLD

Post by Terry » Tue Dec 25, 2018 3:58 pm

Yes It very sad isn't it Maureen

Especially if culled from the air with many of them probably dying a slow and painful death.
Yet believe it or not the Greenies are the driving force behind most of these culls, they reckon Brumbies are feral animals.


I know that you are a great admirer and lover of these magnificient animals, so I can understand your anger and dismay.
Wonder What the RSPCA thought about this?

You have made your point well here, so well done you for standing up for what you believe in.


Cheers

Terry

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Maureen K Clifford
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Re: THE EYES OF THE WORLD

Post by Maureen K Clifford » Thu Dec 27, 2018 10:36 am

Thanks Terry - not sure about all of the culling sites - but in the Barmah Forest the RSPCA have stood by and allowed it to happen. There have been volunteers, many from properties adjoining the forest, out feeding the horses and the roos, because the locals didn't want them destroyed. If they feed them on NP'S ground they will be fined, so the feed drops have been outside of the NP boundary. There have been horses foundered and incapable of rising. Volunteers are not allowed to euthanize them, it has to be done by an 'approved' NP vet - and even though NP's have been notified in some cases it has taken 3 days before they send a vet out to put the horses down. A local vet offered to do it and his offer was refused. RSPCA did bloody nothing. The problem with the Barmah Brumbies was that their grazing areas have been for months, deliberately flooded to 'save the river gums' thus compressing the brumbies into 30% of their normal grazing range, and as a result of this they are starving to death.
Check out The Scribbly Bark Poets blog site here -
http://scribblybarkpoetry.blogspot.com.au/


I may not always succeed in making a difference, but I will go to my grave knowing I at least tried.

Neville Briggs
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Re: THE EYES OF THE WORLD

Post by Neville Briggs » Sat Dec 29, 2018 6:59 pm

It seems a rough way to keep grazing animal numbers under control, but we don't have wolves, lions and hyenas to do it for us ( they don't worry about RSPCA requirements ) . Allowing grazing animals to expand too much is not in their interests, they end up with sickness, starvation and degraded pasture that's why nature brings in the hunters.
Neville
" Prose is description, poetry is presence " Les Murray.

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Maureen K Clifford
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Re: THE EYES OF THE WORLD

Post by Maureen K Clifford » Thu Jan 03, 2019 11:59 am

That can of course happen Neville and sometimes that makes culling necessary however in the case of the brumbies that was not the case - until the flooding of their grazing areas these horses were in magnificent nick, fat and shiny and healthy.
Check out The Scribbly Bark Poets blog site here -
http://scribblybarkpoetry.blogspot.com.au/


I may not always succeed in making a difference, but I will go to my grave knowing I at least tried.

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