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Open Poetry #44
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Black Saturday
| Open Poetry #44 |
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Black Saturday |
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LindsayP Member Elite
since 2007-07-28
Posts 3410Australia, Victoria 
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The bush fires that we have experienced over this last week are the worst in recorded history and quite a few of them are still going. The temperature in Melbourne on Black Saturday was 46.4, celsios, the highest ever, and up to fifty degrees in the North of the state. Black Friday, Ash Wednesday and now Black Saturday have all been in February. This is my contribution. Black Saturday Back in 1939 a holocaust burst across the State A bush fire the like of which we had never seen before For so many people lost their lives that day A tragic loss that no one could ignore. Australia is so very prone to raging fire For our eucalyptus trees burn, either green or dry Each summer bush fires take their tragic toll Smoke and flames soon fill up a molten sky. We held our own until nineteen and eighty three When ‘Ash Wednesday’ burst upon the land Much worse than the fires of ‘Black Friday’ And quite quickly soon gained the upper hand. Seventy eight people lost their lives that day And several hundred homes were burnt as well Untold stock losses and also, so many pets A feeling of utter desolation hard to quell. Black Saturday burst upon us with a strong wind from the north And the sun was a blazing orange ball of fire The forecast was for a very hot & windy day A situation that we certainly did not require. By mid-day the whole state was on full fire alert When news came thru’ that a Kinglake fire was realized Then within the next hour forty more had started up And nearly half the state was in danger of demise. The folks that were in the pathway of the fire Were terrified & their nerves were taut with tension For the bush fire that was so soon to burst upon them Was completely beyond all normal comprehension. The fire storm soon extended its violent savage wrath The scorching wind was over 160 K’s an hour The roar it created was like a runaway train transport And everything in its path, it would very soon devour. People fled in terror in cars & trucks and bikes But the fire storm treated them with contempt The radiant heat was such that it killed them on the spot For nothing in that holocaust was deemed exempt. One hundred & eighty one people lost their life that day Kinglake, Marysville and Flowerdale were no more Many other towns as well were nearly blown away By fire & wind that ravaged & caused a cruel uproar. Over eighteen hundred homes were destroyed by flames And stock losses were far too great to comprehend Scores of cars lay burnt out on the side of the roads And almost all the wildlife faced a sad & tragic end. If there is a brighter side to this totally tragic day It’s the way that so many people have donated all they could Over one hundred million dollars & so many clothes & food Makes one proud to be an Aussie as every Aussie should. Lindsay |
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| © Copyright 2009 Lindsay P Wilson - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Suncleaver Member
since 2009-01-18
Posts 481Stafford England |
Nice one Lindsay, the triumph of human spirit over the vagaries of fate. Never sigh for a better world, it's already composed, played and told. |
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Robert E. Jordan Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-25
Posts 8541Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Yo LindsayP, I happened to be in Australia for the one in 1983 on business. It was a sad day I'll never forget. Bobby |
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Bill Charles Member Patricius
since 2000-07-11
Posts 10619highways, & byways, for now |
Lindsay - don't know what to say about the tragedy except may the Lord look down and heal... BC |
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Roniece Dawson-Bruce Member Ascendant
since 2000-01-29
Posts 5689Sydney, Australia |
thank you so much for your wonderful contribution Lindsay.. I do hope you and your family are safe...  RDB Be kind at heart....for everyone you meet has their own battle to fight......... |
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ethome Member Patricius
since 2000-05-14
Posts 11858New Brunswick Canada |
Thanks Lindsay for the well composed but sad recollection of those terrible fires that have raged down there causing such devastation. It's truly wonderful how people will pull together in a time of crises. My how generous your fellow countrymen have been it light of such a disaster. All must press on but the grief will be there forever for some so directly affected. My hat's off to you for such a heartfelt poem. Eric |
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Margherita Member Seraphic
since 2003-02-08
Posts 22236Eternity |
What an impressive report, dear Lindsay. You have brought the tragedy vividly into our perception. My heart goes out to all involved. May all fires be extinguished quickly! Love, Margherita |
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Alison 
since 2008-01-27
Posts 9318Lumpy oatmeal makes me crazy! |
Lindsay, My thoughts have been with all in your country who are impacted by these fires. I am sure that most everyone has been touched with the tragedy of it all. Thank you for sharing this poem .. and thank you for remaining safe. Love, Alison |
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LindsayP Member Elite
since 2007-07-28
Posts 3410Australia, Victoria |
Suncleaver, Bobby and Bill, Eric and Margherita, it is so gratifying to have you kind and generous folk Sharing our pain and sadness in this time of trauma. It certainly helps with the shock of it all. Thank you sincerely. Dear Roniece, I was so pleased to see you back on PIP again, it made my day. Thank you my dear for your concern but I'm happy to say that although we had friends and relatives living in those fire prone areas, everyone got out safely.Thanks again, Love Lindsay |
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JamesMichael Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336Kapolei, Hawaii, USA |
Nice informative writing of a sad situation...James |
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Earth Angel Member Empyrean
since 2002-08-27
Posts 40215Realms of Light |
LP, how tragic the loss of life ~ human, animal, and vegetation. With your vividly descriptive writing, you give your readers an up close view of the utter devastation and travesty that those bushfires can bring. My prayers continue. Australians have an indominatable spirit, and the phoenix will rise again. God bless your people, your animals, and your lands. Love, Linda |
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LindsayP Member Elite
since 2007-07-28
Posts 3410Australia, Victoria |
It is a sad time James, thank you for responding, Take care my friend. Dear Linda, the loss of even one life in a bush fire is a very sad loss but over two hundred people have now lost their life which makes it by far the worst tragedy to affect us here in Australia. The genuine sympathy shown by so many people does help to ease the horrific pain that is felt by so many. Thank you so much for your concern my dear friend and may God be with you. Love you. Lindsay |
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suthern
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723Louisiana |
My heart ached through every line of this... first with grief... and then through the last 3 lines... with gratitude... that goodness wasn't victim to the flames. May that goodness help your state and its people heal. Thank you for bearing witness, Lindsay... |
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LindsayP Member Elite
since 2007-07-28
Posts 3410Australia, Victoria |
Dear Ruth, you are a very kind and generous person Ruth and I really appreciate your concern. Thank you for taking the time to respond. Love to you dear Lady. Lindsay |
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