The sun with its withering heat

beats down cruelly on this land

of contrasts and extremes

and brings a touch of summer

across its great expanse from the north

to the south and the east to the west.

 

For this is the way of this southern

land where the hot arid inland

breathes across the coastal fringe

and the torrid breath dries the bush

to a crackling dangerous brown from

the lush green that came from winter’s cool rain.

 

24/12/2016