THE CALL OF THE OUTBACK

[Terry]

I posted this on Bush Verse a couple of days ago so thought I might as well post here as well

An earlier version was probably posted on the old site - Terry



THE CALL OF THE OUTBACK

I wonder what it really is that draws me back each day,
is it the outback calling, urging me to head this way?
What looks like miles of nothingness may greet the untrained eye,
but somehow gets into your blood; it’s hard to reason why.
I leave it for a while at times but never for too long,
for loneliness soon touches me, despite the city throng.

The bush has compensations bringing peacefulness of mind;
the country folk you meet there; fellow nomads of my kind.
And I can see such beauty where some others may see none
and love the sound of silence like old timers must have done.
So when I take a trip away I know it’s not for long,
I’m fed up very quickly with the nightlife drink and song.

I live the life I want to live not ruled by clock or phone,
the sun’s my only timepiece and the choice is mine alone.
There’s time to listen to the birds and view the scene at hand
and pause and breathe the fresh air as it drifts across the land.
I pick a place to camp and stay a month or just a day,
depends on how I’m feeling, but I do it my own way.

I’ve tried to fit into the life that most Australians live,
down in the noisy cities - gave the best that I could give.
But soon was suffocating in a sea of stressed mankind,
trapped in a concrete forest where my life was too confined.
There’s hustle and there’s rushing with the constant tramp of feet
and I was out there with them as they pound a city street.

My heart was never in it and my mind was miles away,
I missed the open spaces; grew more restless by the day.
I knew I had to leave that life it wasn’t meant for me
and urgings grew much stronger as the time approached to flee.
The wilderness was calling, quietly whispering to me
and nights were full of distant dreams of where I ought to be.

I felt a sense of freedom as I left that life behind,
my spirits were soon soaring, I again had peace of mind.
I took up where I left off in the gold fields of the west,
prospecting for a living, it’s the life that I love best.
You see the changing country as you’re always on the move,
you choose a road to follow and there’s nothing more to prove.

I still go to the city for a visit once a year
and I can see the reason why my heart belongs out here.
And people from the city feel the same about their town,
they hate the isolation of the outback dry and brown.
With numbers slowly dwindling the future looks quite bleak,
my way of life is fading, disappearing as I speak.

******


© T.E. Piggott 2/11/2010

[Heather]

Remember this one Terry and enjoyed reading it again. That's the life isn't it? I guess we need a visit to the city once a year to remind us of how good life is in the country or bush.

Heather

[Bob Pacey]

Even the difference between a small town and big city is quite big Terry.

Went to Sydney and stood on a corner in the city a couple of years back and the traffic was horrendous.

Was offered a job as a buyer there but that made my mind up Terry.

Well written can feel your love of the bush


Bob

[Dave Smith]

G/Day Terry, yeah good one and true. Elaine and I are heading out again in a couple of weeks, going to do the Anne Beadell Hwy with our son from Kalgoorlie, will be back in time for the Cervantes Festival Poets Breakfast if it’s on.

Catch ya Mate Dave.

[Terry]

Thanks, All,

Heather,
I think this is a later version than the other one.

Bob
The Bush is a strange place mate, there are times up there when and things get tough you wonder why the hell you're doing wasting your life up there. Then you no sooner get back down to civilization and you're breaking your neck to get away again.

Dave,
Should be a good trip mate, I head off myself in a few days.
I've been hanging around because my best mate has been going through chemo and Radio therapy and I wanted to be around to offer a bit of support.
Hope you Elaine And your son have a great time, pretty hard not to up there.

Cheers Terry

[Heather]

Terry you remind me of Henry Lawson! He always hankered for somewhere other than where he was!

Heather

[Terry]

Hi Heather,
Could be a bit of truth in what you're saying, the same probably applies for a lot of restless people who have spent a fair bit of time in the bush. As we get older we keep thinking we should be doing other things, but the urge to go bush again is always there, hard to explain why.

Terry

[Bob Pacey]

I think we all need that bit of space sometime Terry. I find on a beach fishing in the surf or paddling up some quiet backwater with no one else in cooee.


Good on ya mate.


Bob

[Terry]

I'm a very keen fisherman myself Bob, most prospectors today are, distance probably slowed the old blokes down a bit.

Nothing like wetting a line mate, I'm into it all beach, rock, salt or freshwater and love fly fishing. mostly fly fishing for trout but do a bit of saltwater stuff as well.

When We get over your way (not too long now) I will be putting out feelers for anyone who'd like to wet a line with me.

Cheers Terry

[Bob Pacey]

Every day a man spends fishing he gets another one added onto his life.

Good theory, So i might have a few credits.

Bob