ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

The words for this poem were inspired by the actual words of The Last Post


DAY IS DONE


Maureen Clifford ©

Day is done, and all my work is finished.
Gone the sun, now evenings creeping in.
From the lakes I hear the wood ducks calling.
From the hills, Corella's nesting din.
From the sky the warmth of sun is fading,
all is well. I'm happy to be free.
Safely rest, carefree until the morning.
God is nigh. He watches over me.

Fading light, as the day fades to darkness.
Dims the sight. But eyes that close can't see.
And a star, is twinkling so brightly.
Gems the sky. Brings memories to me.
Gleaming bright and gold like wattle blossom.
From afar, I glean a memory.
Drawing nigh the comfort of your love Dear.
Falls the night. And all is well with me.

Thanks and praise, to God and all the Angels
for our days so precious on this Earth.
'neath the sun whose warming rays surround us
'neath the stars who once witnessed our birth.
'Neath the sky a blue blanket above us
as we go thankfully about our day,
this we know. That there are those who love us
God is nigh - to him each night I pray.

*****

Very nicely done Maureen.

Sorry ...but ' day is done ' are the words of the American end of day signal. It is known as "Taps "

The Last Post is a bugle call used by British and Australian forces to signify end of day. It is always played at remembrance for the fallen. As far as I know The Last Post has no words.

Taps has a simple three note repeated figure almost all the way through.
da da daah da da daah ( day is done )

The Last Post has a more complex series of rhythmic figures, it starts off with a one beat note followed by a long fading note.

Da daaaaaaah, da daaaaaaaah.
after that.....da da datah da de dah dah de dah.... and so on.

Sorry Maureen, you know how Manfred feels about US cultural imperialism.

It's a lovely heartfelt poem though.

We trumpeters in the Military Band were required to play The First Post and The Last Post on cadet camp (school days). We had a roster. The Last Post was OK, but The First Post could be a real challenge on those frosty mornings.

One particularly cold morning I just couldn't blow a note, no matter how I tried.

People rounded on me a couple of hours later.

"Where was The First Post this morning?"

"Sorry. My mouthpiece was so cold, I couldn't get it to make a sound."

They stared at me in disgust and disbelief.

Such is life.

(Nobody died.)

These are the words that I had to The Last Post - whether it was American, British or Australian I never knew, but this is what I based the poem on. It was the feeling in the words rather than the nationality that appealed to me


The original words of The Last Post


Day is done. Gone the sun.
From the lakes. From the hills.
From the sky. All is well.
Safely rest. God is nigh.

Fading light. Dims the sight.
And a star. Gems the sky.
Gleaming bright. From afar.
Drawing nigh. Falls the night.

Thanks and praise. For our days.
Neath the sun Neath the stars.
Neath the sky As we go.
This we know. God is nigh


Cheers

Maureen

And you did it good Maureen

Nicely done Maureen.

Thank you Neville and Dennis