The Lachlan’s seen some mighty floods, since records first were wrote

And those along the river flats, make sure they own a boat

We’re seeing now the worst flood the locals ever knew

They’re saying it’s the equal to the one in fifty two

The river now is angry, and our catchment needs relief

A wall of water rushing down, it’s just beyond belief

Cowra was the first to feel the rivers mighty sting

That water from Wyangala was like a living thing

The next in line Eugowra,

the very worst they say

An inland sea came rushing down, and washed the town away

Tore houses from foundations to make impair complete

And washed these buildings blocks away to somewhere down the street

And then it left a war zone, for some a living hell

And if the town can be rebuilt, it’s still too soon to tell

Loss of life can’t be replaced, and love ones mourn their loss

The water took what was their life, natures still our boss

And still the flood kept

rushing on an angry evil beast

Looking for a victim, and somewhere else to feast

And sure enough old Forbes was there, and it was on alert

Regardless of their efforts though, this flood is gonna hurt

The Forbes lagoon was filling up, and spreading through the town

Despite a million sandbags, old Forbes was going down

With water quickly rising, the town was cut in three

And aerial photograph, would show an inland sea

Then after Forbes was Condo, and on and on it went

To every town still in its path, from hell where it was sent

But what about our heroes, the ones we can’t forget

Where ever help was needed, they were there I bet

Heroes to Boys in the Bush, that group who help us all

Of course our mighty SES, I hope they’re standing tall

Then the army came along to lend a helping hand

For helicopter rescue, and filling bags with sand

There’s many more to mention, but space just don’t allow

Selfless acts of kindness, these folk should take a bow

The way we stand in crises, working side by side

makes me feel quite humble, my chest swells out with pride

It shows the best in people, why can’t this always be

Not only when the flood returns, to form that inland sea

Well, l’ll leave it there, with peace of mind we watch the waters go

And hope our Lachlan River keeps a calm and peaceful flow ….

By Nev Molloy
19 November 2022

 

Liberated and united they long to be The people of Ukraine are determined to be free

The amount of destruction is hard to believe

Yet they say they’re resolute Surrender they won’t concede

Their courage and bravery is second to none

The world will support them until they’ve won

The traitorous aggressor has threatened with war

And nuclear arms if their demands they ignore

Their president leads boldly

And won’t give in to threats

The people support him

They have no regrets.

By Warren Tanner

Dear Editor

I have enjoyed your paper for a long time and will always be grateful for the kindness and compassion that surrounds us here. I grew up in a world where hard work, respect and kindness were a basis for guiding us into the future. When we moved to Parkes, we found our true home.

Help is given freely, people smile and speak in passing on the streets, hard work continues each day.

Please find enclosed one of my poems that has special meaning about how I feel and how proud I am to be Australian.

Kind regards,
Janette Hill

Australia

Sing me gentle lullabies
that soothe me with their sound,
hold my hand ‘til morning,
for then I’m on my way.
I’ll cross the land around me,
I’ll see this morning sunrise,
and watch the evening tide,
I’ll pick a desert bloom for you
and watch the petals fall.
I’m but a wind that’s calling
I’m but a fallen soldier trapped inside your spell,
just another casualty
of a land that holds my heart,
a land of hidden beauty
and one I know so well.
Treat this land with kindness,
see the gifts it gives,
learn its ancient wisdom
calm its troubled heart.
Bring it peace and shield it
from the soul who mean it wrong.
Stand proud beneath the gum trees
and sing a song or two,
give her all you’ve got inside
and she’ll be true to you…

 

The rain comes down and the mud gets thicker as water covers the road.

The front yard and quagmire are one and the same, there seems to be no difference now.

We take our lives in our hands as we traverse our driveway on our way to and from town.

The rain comes down and the mud gets thicker as water covers the road.

It’s been a long bleak winter, with clouds all the way and not too much sunshine at all.

The road is all holes covered with brown, muddy water, an enjoyable ride to be sure, We bump up and down over unseen mishaps, holding our breath at all points.

As we silently pray for the holding together of coil springs, shocks, and ball joints.

The rain comes down and the mud gets thicker as water covers the road.

The road is bad, the driveway worse and the grass and weeds are so tall as we struggle to find enough dry in a day, to get out the mower at all.

We could get depressed, as we battle for zest to do all the things that we must.

But what’s the point, it doesn’t help, where’s the benefit in getting fussed?

The rain comes down and the mud gets thicker as water covers the road. So, we just give thanks to our wonderful God, who works to keep our lamps lit.

For this is the day the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice in it.

By Margaret Irwin

Mighty river, full of purpose, between the banks, so deep and wide,

let your calm and restful waters ease the pain and hurt inside.

May your ripples gently show me, how to run against the tide,

while all the while, beneath the surface, your waters go where God implied.

Through storm and fury, flood, and tempest, you’re white and savage, wild and free,

yet, when it’s passed and peace returns, your waters feel the same to me.

You weather storms upon the surface, while underneath, your peace retain.

You never waver, flinch or falter, through the barriers, face the pain.

Onward, never a backward glance, never a doubt for the path you follow.

With gentle, endless, meek persistence, through the earth and rock you hollow.

Always doing what God intended, full of strength, purpose, and pride.

Ever yourself, never pretentious. Where did you get your wisdom and guide?

Flowing water, running smoothly. Teeming with life, joy, and hope.

Though your life never seems to alter, we don’t see you sit and mope.

On and on, you ever wander, over and over the same old lease.

Share with us your magic wonder, acceptance is the key to peace.

By Margaret Irwin, Parkes 

August is Australian Poetry Month. It aims to increase access, awareness and visibility of poetry in all its forms and for all audiences. It is a good time to dig out those scribbles from the drawer or from a hidden file on your computer and send them in to us to celebrate poetry. We’ve received a very topical poem from a reader in Parkes.

Ukraine

Liberated and united they long to be

The people of Ukraine are determined to be free

The amount of destruction is hard to believe

Yet they say they’re resolute

Surrender they won’t concede

Their courage and bravery is second to none

The world will support them until they’ve won

The traitorous aggressor has threatened with war

And nuclear arms if their demands they ignore

Their president leads boldly

And won’t give in to threats

The people support him

They have no regrets

By Warren Tanner, Parkes

Readers of The Forbes & Parkes Phoenix are invited to send in creative writing (poems, short stories and more) of no more than 500 words for publication in this monthly column. Send your submissions to the editor@parkesphoenix.com.au or editor@forbesphoenix.com.au 

I sat on the riverbank wondering how to explain Unity Consciousness, when English was designed for duality. 

It’s simple. The river said. Like water is water. If you catch some in a container, it doesn’t stop being water. If you pour it back into the main body of water, it doesn’t stay separate. No matter how you colour it, call it ‘different’, once it’s returned to the whole it is indistinguishable. There is no separation. 

“Is it that inevitable for people?” I asked. “We’re not water.” 

You’re almost all water. You’re just washing through a complicated container. The river gargled. But is it inevitable for people? Yes. You may hide yourselves away, but you’re only making the process of reintegration harder. The ‘water’ will either slowly evaporate and rejoin the collective cycle, or the container will be smashed to set the ‘water’ free. You see; the ‘water’ inside you (which is the real you) yearns to join the whole, the All. No matter how you identify as being separate you’re still the All. Reintegration is inevitable. 

I’ve spent a lot of my life wishing I didn’t exist. This invitation to oblivion evoked a sadness in me. I felt there were aspects of me worth remembering. 

It’s not oblivion. It’s integration: Love and acceptance of all, by the All. This way All gain ‘your’ experience. Every word makes the eternal Book of Life. 

My stomach clenched at the thought of this stretching out for eternity. 

This life is but a word in the book. All is worthy when you’re not being ruled by the programming of mind and body. The beauty of doing it embodied, rather than waiting to be liberated by death, is ‘you’ get to co-create consciously with the All. 

The river sighed with empathy. The pain of separation, the confusion. This is where your ‘devil’ lies. 

I thought of the times I’d been open hearted with people and been met with egoic resistance. It hurt. 

To heal, ‘you’ come up against challenges. Your reaction determines how often this occurs. How often you revisit the cycle. 

There were many times I thought I’d been done with something, healed it. Only for a similar situation to hit me again. 

The All is testing to see if ‘you’re’ really done with those patterns. How you react. 

“I do still react.” I sighed. 

Be kind to ‘yourself’. ‘You’, as an individual being came here to heal a good chunk of karma for the All. 

“Yea. But some of it’s mine.” 

It’s part of the process, the learning. 

“But it’s not impossible?” 

It’s inevitable. The river chuckled, closing the cycle of the conversation. 

I felt a surge of love, then the river’s energy subsided. 

“Inevitable.” I looked around expecting there to be evidence of the interaction. Like water in the grass, debris in the reeds. There was none. “But I still don’t know how to integrate.” 

Just love. But it was not the river who replied, it was my heart, the All. 

By Catherine Pratt