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(A Poem for Children)
The cats sat down to party; the table-cloth was red.
'Let's act like human beings' the furry creatures said.
'They all act so politely; their manners are refined;
They're neat and smart and gentle and unutterably kind.
We must pass the plates to each other and never slurp our tea,
And make polite conversation like the humans that we see.'
Just then the dog next-door bounced in; I think his name was Rover.
With a bark and a wag and a 'Bow wow wow!'
He kicked the whole thing over!
*
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KING COAL
Tens, dozens, lines of ships,
Off the coast of New South Wales.
Ships full of coal.
Coal, the backbone of our region:
The Hunter Valley.
Making us rich:
Our inheritance.
Will I cheerfully forego the benefits
When the ships
No longer call?
Will I gladly be less warm,
Less pampered, less well-fed?
Will I be happy
When my grandsons inherit a life
Less comfortable and cushioned than mine?
No!
*
Tens, dozens, lines of ships
Bound for the wider world.
Ships full of coal.Will I be cheerful
When their cargoes pollute
Someone else's skies?
Will I shrug my shoulders
When their Greenhouse Gases
Clog someone else's lungs?
Will I be happy
When my grandsons can no longer enjoy
The Great Barrier Reef?
No!
So I merely drift.........
Fiddling while Rome burns.
