THE TODD RIVER
Last night the Todd flowed again
A bullet of mercury shooting
Down the wadi at reckless speed
Roiling, roaring waters
Sweeping all before it
Happened in '83
They tell me
Last century
A twenty year flood
Devoured the bed
And all fled
Before it
Roads ripped up
Spat out
Todd Street under water
Waves lapping at the library wall
For the flood plain is wide
A little Fair
Washed up in the Eyre
Some flow!
What would a fifty year
Run be like?
A hundred year flood?
The Todd flowed again last night
Muddy waters, surfing debris
Kids on bikes
Crossing the flooded causeways
Sprays of water
And laughter
Camera clicking
Tourists jostle
Locals who stare
At the sight
Of the open vein
Running red and bloodied
Chains cage the beast
Enter who dares!
A cool cat surfs by
Surfing! In the Alice!
Crazy.
And more water comes
And more
It's raining in the headlands
Say the locals, they know
Wise heads bob
There'll be more
They opine
It's coming, like the line
The Todd flowed last night
See it three times
And you'll stay forever
Folk lore, wisdom
Of the ages
Sagely uttered by the sages
Does it wrap you in its lustrous coils
And squeeze?
Seductive, slithering serpent
Biding your time
Two died last night
Shafted by the undertow
Dragged down into the snake's lair
No air
No light
They'll stay
Memories yet when the water's gone
Do you remember...?
There were these two guys...
And those who looked
And searched the banks
And lanced the water
And despaired
The Todd flowed again last night
It flowed through my dreams
Wrapped its tendrils 'round my heart
Coursed through my veins
And washed me free of city ties
The Todd flowed
And I knew
I was home
A bullet of mercury shooting
Down the wadi at reckless speed
Roiling, roaring waters
Sweeping all before it
Happened in '83
They tell me
Last century
A twenty year flood
Devoured the bed
And all fled
Before it
Roads ripped up
Spat out
Todd Street under water
Waves lapping at the library wall
For the flood plain is wide
A little Fair
Washed up in the Eyre
Some flow!
What would a fifty year
Run be like?
A hundred year flood?
The Todd flowed again last night
Muddy waters, surfing debris
Kids on bikes
Crossing the flooded causeways
Sprays of water
And laughter
Camera clicking
Tourists jostle
Locals who stare
At the sight
Of the open vein
Running red and bloodied
Chains cage the beast
Enter who dares!
A cool cat surfs by
Surfing! In the Alice!
Crazy.
And more water comes
And more
It's raining in the headlands
Say the locals, they know
Wise heads bob
There'll be more
They opine
It's coming, like the line
The Todd flowed last night
See it three times
And you'll stay forever
Folk lore, wisdom
Of the ages
Sagely uttered by the sages
Does it wrap you in its lustrous coils
And squeeze?
Seductive, slithering serpent
Biding your time
Two died last night
Shafted by the undertow
Dragged down into the snake's lair
No air
No light
They'll stay
Memories yet when the water's gone
Do you remember...?
There were these two guys...
And those who looked
And searched the banks
And lanced the water
And despaired
The Todd flowed again last night
It flowed through my dreams
Wrapped its tendrils 'round my heart
Coursed through my veins
And washed me free of city ties
The Todd flowed
And I knew
I was home
No comments:
Post a Comment