Now is the winter of your discontent
Made glorious summer in Australia
I don't say that winters were bad back then
In England with roast beef, cornish pasties
Pebbly beaches and memorable fogs
Probably all changed now, all European
Until of course they exit from EU
But that matters not to us here in Oz
A truly multicultural nation
Where our friends come from all over the world
Then there are the native people of course
Their land but the census didn't count them
Until a referendum finally
Acknowledged they were people not fauna
Took us hundred and eighty years to accept
Meanwhile we enjoy weather that is not cold
Unless you climb up the mountains that is
Where it does snow sometimes (no guarantee)
So if you have that strange desire to ski
Best cross the Tasman sea to New Zealand
But as we are up-side-down we do this
In your summer and moan when it is cold
We also moan when it is too damned hot
Well we moan all the time as a defence
We don't want people to see we're happy
It's the best place in the world; we know it
Don't tell anyone else; I'll clobber you!
Image of kangaroo in snowy vinyard found at https://www.washingtonpost.com/
The first two lines are of course paraphrased from Shakespeare's 'Henry V'
I do believe Australia may have the best of many things! And you are not the only ones who moan to protect your blessings. I've never thought of Australia as "upside down"--but love how the idea adds to the humor and satire of this lovely poem. I LOVE the photo.
ReplyDeleteMoaning is the time-honored way of dealing with any kind of weather! :)
ReplyDeletePoor frosty kangaroo, in the snow! I love that photo. We feel the same way in Tofino, we dont want everyone to know what a wonder it is. Sadly, world attention was drawn to it with our fight to save the rainforest. A MILLION tourists swarm our small village of 1800 people every year. It's a bit much. They use up all our water, too.
ReplyDeleteHa! I laughed at all the moaning — it is so humorous — I really liked your recollections of the English winters and a kind of a parallel drawn with the winters down-under.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I liked how you commented on the natives and their rights.
An enjoyable read, sir! :-)
-HA
"the native people of course
ReplyDeleteTheir land but the census didn't count them
Until a referendum finally "
how very very sad
much love...
We still have plenty of pebbly beaches and some (quite) memorable fogs, Robin! I smiled at the lines:
ReplyDelete'...as we are up-side-down we do this
In your summer and moan when it is cold
We also moan when it is too damned hot' -
they remind me of my friends and relations who live down under!
The last stanza says it all:) Wonderful, Robin sir, enjoy:):)
ReplyDeleteI see through your moaning and acerbic wit; Australia sounds fun. I'm telling everyone!
ReplyDelete