WILDFIRE

[Maureen K Clifford]

Wildfire was the only horse among the Brooms Head brumbies that survived the devastating fires that swept through Yuraygir National Park in 2001.

WILDFIRE .... Maureen Clifford © The #ScribblyBarkPoet

He stands in water to his knees, and lifts his head to scent the breeze,
a whicker wisps from whiskered lips, a nearby swallow swoops and dips
for water, drinking on the wing - and all is quiet, no answering
call from a mare or anything.

In years now gone he had a mob, protecting them was this bloke's job,
but fire alas swept through one day, he tried to lead his mares away,
but cross the landscape stretched a fence installed by man. And lacking sense
and panicked now, they'd no defense.

He made it through, his mares did not, the wire barbs it seemed had stopped
their flight. They perished in the fire, the end for them a funeral pyre.
And now this Brooms Head brumby roams, magnificent but all alone
and man it seems will not atone.

He's old. Past twenty some folks say, herd animals can't live this way
Rare brumby genes he has for sure - a line that now has gone. Obscure.
Wildfire they call him, stallion proud, but Parks say mares are not allowed ...
he's lonely, but spirit unbowed.

They tried to trap him once 'tis said to remove him out of Brooms Head,
but he's a wary mountain king , and to his freedom he did cling,
they captured though his mare and foal and left Wildfire a lonely soul
who mourns for those Parks rangers stole.

His freedom has come at great cost, a bushfire saw his whole mob lost
and then when at last a mare he found - seems Parks did not want her around
they caught his mare and shipped her out, along with foal, rehomed no doubt ...
just not free to go walkabout.

One day he'll pass and none will see save wild birds - and his eulogy
they'll sing from forest creek and tree and mourn for him, though he'll be free
forevermore to roam at will, perhaps to scale a distant hill
and find his mare who calls him still.

[Shelley Hansen]

A great tale, Maureen!

[Maureen K Clifford]

Thank you Shelley ... it's a true story unfortunately