So This Is The Outback

So barren and arid
Hard, cracked, sun-scorched earth,
Dry, yellow bushes trying to cling
To the dusty, parched soil.
Gnarled, twisted, weather-beaten, ghost gums
Dotted here and there,
Roots deep down, searching for moisture.

Never ending as far as the eye can see,
In all directions the desert stretches.
Crisp, brown spinifex tumble
Down the well beaten track.
Dry shrubs rustle in the hot breeze
Unwavering heat, unbearable.
The merciless sun beats down
You squint at the glariness of it!

Hot, desert breezes blow.
They disturb the dust beneath your feet.
Hurling sand up into your face.
You are filled with despair at your condition.
No visible signs of life, apart from flies
Buzzing around your face, pestering you like crazy.

A solitary bird soars and circles
In the azure cloudless sky.
The brilliant golden rays of sunset
Light up the sky
You lay down next to a large rock.

Eucalypts whisper to you
As you remember Aboriginal dreamtime stories.
Evening predators come out.
Moonlight reflects on the branches.
An eerie stillness of the night overwhelms you
As you drift off to sleep.

So this is the Outback…