The Great Australian Hole

[Bellobazza]

With the inland quickly disappearing beneath the floodwaters, I thought it appropriate to post this one. It snagged first place in the recent Hunter Bush Poets' comp. and it looks like it may turn out to be prophetic.

The Great Australian Hole © Will Moody 2010

This country needs a 'gee-up'...an inspiring common cause.
A project like The Snowy Scheme that won so much applause.
Some challenge to unite us all to work toward some goal...
and since you ask, well I suggest ..."The Great Australian Hole".

Now, BHP and Fortescue have made a damned good start,
but now it's time the rest of us pitched in and did our part.
We'll simply dig the whole lot out and auction off the best,
then build a causeway down to the Antarctic with the rest.

We're worried by the changes that this 'Climate Change' will bring.
"How can our big hole help with that ?" you ask...well, here's the thing :
We build a great big pipeline where our causeway bridge will be,
then pump the melting ice-cap, and create an inland sea!

This fabled Inland Sea all those explorers failed to find
will lie resplendent in the hole from all the ore we've mined.
All round the rim we'll leave a bit of decent high, dry land
and lots of islands in the sea with fringing reefs and sand.

Resorts and swish marinas will spring up round Uluru...
(we'll plant a lot of palm trees there and call it 'Hula-Roo').
Big regattas will be sailing right across the One Tree Plain
( but four-wheel drives will never cross the Nullabor again! )

"But what about the landscape round the Corner Country pegs ?"
Well, if you want an omelette mate, you have to break some eggs.
"And what about the wombats ? What about the Kangaroos ?"
Well, that's the price you have to pay for homes with water views.

This Inland Archipelago will be a wondrous thing ;
what's lost upon the roundabout, we'll pick up on the swing.
The Treasury will benefit, of that there is no doubt,
no longer will they subsidise poor farmers hit by drought.

The farmers and the graziers will have to be re-trained
to gather in the harvest from the fishing grounds we've gained.
All the billions that it cost will seem a piffle-ing amount
when the flood of tourist dollars fill up every bank account.

And Canberra? It's just the place for all the watery graves
for all those politicians who have sunk beneath the waves.
And all who love Australia will be thankful to a man.
The Great Hole Of Australia ! What a bold and brilliant plan.

[Leonie]

I'd vote for it Will, sounds like a great idea.

Congratulations on snagging the first prize, brilliant poem, love it.

[warooa]

Onya Will . . . you're just gloating that for once Bellingen aint under bloody water!!

Well deserved gong. Great to see. Loving ya work.

Cheers, Marty

[Zondrae]

I was about to say Onya Bazz but,

Congratulations Will. It certainly is absolutely great to see your name in first spot. One wonders sometimes if the average 'Joe Blow' has a snowballs chance of ever winning any competition. Those few 'best' writers that are around (well the ones who enter competitions) seem to have it sewn up. I guess that is double cudos to you.... and the poem is good too.

[Bellobazza]

Leonie, Marty, Zondrae...
Thanks for your comments, they are greatly appreciated. Your first outright "first" is a great boost, even if it's for a bit of a fun piece.
(Zondrae...I think the big guns must have been otherwise engaged. By the way, have you got your Bronze Swagman anthology yet? Mine must be coming by barge!)

Cheers, Will.

[Zondrae]

Not yet,

But if my memory serves me well, it is not unusually late. I recall in the past receiving a letter in November and the book some time later. (This one makes four in a row for me) I sent in a couple of poems and the one they have chosen to include is the one I liked the best.
I believe that next year everyone who enters a poem will be included in the anthology. But you better check your 'conditions of entry' in case I have mis-read.

[Heather]

Your genius shines Will! (I'm talking ideas and poetry here.) Congratulations on the win. Don't kid yourself Will, you're up there with the best of them.

Heather

[David J Delaney]

Goodonya Will, it's a beauty mate, congratulations, a deserved win.

[Trisha Patterson]

Clever one Will! Maybe that could be a "work for the dole" project!

Trisha

[Bellobazza]

G'day Trish...
Work for the dole, diggin' a hole. Hmmm...I think they already thunk of that one!

Dave; Heather...aw shucks, thanks.

Got the ABPA journal today...Blimey! Got to be stoked to get any sort of result in 2010 with Ellis "the zealous" Campbell punching 'em out the way he is! 13 wins and 23 placings!...and still 25 days to go before the year is over. What a champion.

Cheers, Will.