Gum Leafs

Smell of eucalyptus

Original watercolour painting by Jo Stewart

Scenes I’ve seen in colours,
The green the gold and reds,
Unique, there are no others,
Held together by thin threads.

The distinct smell of eucalyptus,
Crunch and they release,
For quids I wouldn’t miss this,
It leaves my mind at peace.

Pressed between my fingertips,
New shoots as smooth as satin,
Then move the scent up to my lips,
Underneath my footsteps flatten.

I hear the sound of birdsong,
The earth below my feet,
The chorus of the morning throng,
Each step comes up to greet.

In the bush the shove and push,
Is replaced by the quiet,
And a special kind of shush,
Enveloped by the night.

The curl of smoke and crackle,
The mystic mood of flames,
My own tabernacle,
Runs right through my veins.

The spit and hiss, feelings of bliss,
In autumn a sojourn,
Sounds that I would never miss,
From evening until morn.

There’s the smell of gum leaf’s,
Stencilled on everyone,
An eternal plan of my beliefs,
Underneath the Australian sun.

Copyright reserved

David Rudder
19th February 2020

Thanks for reading.