|
|
Farmers shade their eyes - clear blue skies
Cattle and sheep stumble and fall
Drought - shrunken carcases covered in flies
How long can we wait? To again walk tall?
One thousand dollars a day for feed
Meagre feed thrown from tray of the truck
No wheat to harvest - we can't plant seed
Shooting stock is cheaper - killing does suck.
Bread comes from the bakery - no more
Steak and lamb comes from the shop
How long can we wait - tears are law
Men and women - broken and ready to drop.
Fifty cents a bullet - John walked his sheep
Tears tumbled - dusty rivulets down his face
Sheep were too weak to leap
John loaded his rifle - he loved his place.
The last straw brought him to his knees
Sheep lay in dust - silent now
John stood up - lifted his prayers and pleas
Walked slowly towards his lone cow.
Australia is dying - the land in drought
Men and women pray for rain
Two years on - farmers go without
Farmers commit suicide - too much pain.
|
Author Notes
Our farmers that have worked the land for decades are committing suicide as they watch their stock die from hunger - the modern world takes too much for granted. Men and women have worked the land and are used to drought - not this time. Two years of no rain has broken their spirits, they are finding it easier to shoot a beast than try and sell it for nothing - it has got so bad in cattle and sheep country; out west Queensland, the farmers are selling their top breeding stock for a quarter of their worth. A lot of our top quality beef goes to the US - for how long, I wonder. Prayers for our farmers much appreciated.
|
|
©
Copyright 2024.
Aussie
All rights reserved.
Aussie
has granted FanStory.com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work. |