The River Red Gum
by
Stephen R Nayler
Upon the banks of the Cudgegong beyond the great devide
A seedling pushes through the earth determined to survive
To catch the sun, grow tall and strong, reach up into the sky
A perch for noisy Currawongs as Burk and Wills pass bye.
The early years, it struggles on through climate harsh and dry
Though wombats dig amongst it's roots, determined not to die
It sends it's roots down deeper still in search of earth still moist
And when it finds the moisture deep it flowers to rejoice.
Koalas climb it's heights to feed on succulent young leaves
While Wedge-tail Eagles nest in branches swaying in the breeze
The natives cut large slabs of bark to make their great canoes
Yet this giant of the bush still strives to reproduce.
Years come and go relentlessly as summer follows spring
The sun beats down, scorches the earth and every living thing
Earth turns to dust, the riverbed lies naked in the heat
This river red gum grows and flowers defying to be beat.
Then rains begin to fall, caressing every single leaf
flowing down the pink-gray bark to the river far beneath
It puddles in the river bed and then begins to flow
Tumbling stones and pebbles in the rapids far below.
The growing river swirls and turns and chums amongst it's roots
gouging out the precious soil that clings to tender shoots
It shudders, then begins to tilt, this tree that stands so tall
Its roots stretched taught into the earth, refusing now to fall.
Next summer in the heat and dust a eucalyptus haze
Drifts amongst the treetops a precursor to the blaze
It sweeps down from the hilltop to the mighty river gum
Then screams up to the heavens, it's deadly work now done
A single precious gumnut splits and then it opens wide
sends it's contents to the earth, gently down it glides
It sinks into the cooling ash and waits for rain and sun
To then begin to grow into the mighty river gum.
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