Friends Are Harder To Find

We’re drought declared again mate, not on our
Pat Malone mind, so’s two thirds of the State.
Don’t see any changes which make it seem like
something special though; it’s just like the way it
was all those years ago when we came here in
the middle of a dry. We kinda knew it would rain

eventually ‘cause that stands to reason, now we
know why – El Niño, southern oscillations, warm
currents in that vast southern ocean but a drought
here in Queensland is merely a prolonged spell of
summer – another season if you like, might bloody
last seven years, any longer and you’re in shite

but you learn, adapt, buckle up and get on with
your life. The whinging comes loudest out of the
cities – or from these newby farmers whose know-
how was tested, found lacking – most probably
missing; they complain bitterly about government
backing being non-existent or too little too late.

Yeah, it’s a sad state when you need to blame
gutless politicians for your mistakes, but dire
misfortune makes many gratuitous enemies and
friends are harder to find in a drought-ridden land
than a fresh, green billabong amongst sand dunes
without a tourist resort about to be built on it.
And that, mate, is the nature of this place...
© 18 May 2007, I.D. Carswell