ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

She’ll Be Alright (The Land Endures)

© Suzanne Honour

The land endures Australia’s plight
of flood, bushfire, drought and blight.
When crops are sodden, washed away,
we start again without delay.

When skies glow red both day and night
the land endures Australia’s plight.
Through ashen earth and charcoal stumps
green leaves appear on blackened lumps.

The plants grow back, but our sun burns.
It browns the grass and withers ferns.
The land endures Australia’s plight,
and fills the cracks, puts up a fight.

If life deals you a losing hand
and things don’t work out as you planned
Don’t worry mate, she’ll be alright.
The land endures Australia’s plight.

Hi Suzanne,
Well done...and how true!

Cheers
Trisha

G'day Suzanne - that is beautiful - what a great picture your words have painted here - and welcome to the group, love it when people just dive in. Way to go.

Just a thought - when I read this I read the title as She'll be right probably only because that is one of the great Australian sayings - mind over matter as I am not dyslexic, then I noticed you had used (almost) that saying in the last stanza.

IMO It would be better if 'she'll be right' were used - only because that is what the common phrase is - not because of any other reason. It works fine as is.

Well done

Cheers

Maureen

Hi Trisha and Maureen, thanks for your comments and welcome. I haven't been online much lately. Funny you should say that Maureen. When I wrote it, the second last line was 'Don’t worry mate 'cuz she’ll be right.' I changed it to 'Don’t worry mate, she’ll be alright.' to keep the metre because I thought the abbreviation 'cuz/'cause might be frowned on. The title came from that line. I'll work on redrafting it and see how I go.

Have a great day.

Suzanne.

Welcome aboard Suzanne. Great poem. It's a tough country and we're a tough lot.

Heather

G/day Susanne,
A very good and well written poem,
A pleasure to read.

Terry

Hi Suzanne, and welcome. I'm pleased someone jumped in and answered the question the topic posed (at least to me). I read 'the land endures' and kept saying to myself 'what', the land endures 'what'? You have answered the question beautifully. It endures Australia's Plight, so true, well done.

Hi Heather, Terry and Leonie. Thanks

Hi Suzanne
Great poem - paints a great picture!!!

Great to see you here on the site and back writing.

Catchya
Irene

Hi Irene, thanks. I guess you returned that campervan to Nudgee and got to the airport with no problems.

Cheers

Suzanne