"into the Blue"

No 7 December 1937

 

Sigma

Blue Gum Forest

Song of The Blue Gum Forest

Surrounded by mountains

That o'er shall remain

The wonderful blue gums,

Majestically reign.

The trees are so graceful,

So straight and so tall,

That down on my knees I

Could worshipping fall.

 

And I'm aching to be in

The forest again

In the soft hush of evening

When day's on the wane,

 

There 'runs through the forest

A murmuring stream

That laughs as A goes and

So brightly doth gleam.

It chuckles with mirth and

It gurgles with glee

At gaily it flows on

Its way to the sea.

 

And I'm yearning to list to

‘Its music once more,

Just to sit 'neath the trees where

I'll hear its soft roar.

 

The trees grow so closely

Together they try

To shut out the sun and.

The blue of the sky,

The light filters down through

The tops of the trees

And flickers about as

They sway in the breeze.

 

And the blue gums once more

I am longing to see

The grey ghosts of the forest

Are calling to me.

 

The moon slowly rises,

So clear and so bright,

And floods all the forest

With sofest of light.

The silvery moon and

The glow from the fire

Enraptures my soul and

My mind doth inspire.

 

And I hope that I never

Will feel I'm too old

To sing praise and adore all

Its glories untold.

_

 

 

Flower of our forests - image of splendour,

Majestic creations - might of limb and smooth

Growth ever fierce - valley bound.

Unpreaching ever - hill tops to glimpse.

Plaything of gales - and of zephyrs,

scorning them all - serene - immovable.

 

Parthenon trunks - flowerlike foliage,

Linking - entwining - amorous ever.

River caressed - sun caressed.

All seasons uniting - yielding strength to endure.

 

From centuries they came - to centuries they go

Saved - by miracle from Fire!

Any by like miracle from Axe!

To live - to wave - to shelter - to invite

The sons and daughters of generations to come.

 

Sing ye mighty Roots - invisible

Living muscles of Giants

Gripped deep and tigerish - ever drinking River,

Sensing the lust of Storms - relaxing never.

 

Sing - ye mighty trunks - ye organ pipes

Silken and smooth.

Ye laugh at Summer blast,

Ye laugh at Wintry teeth.

 

Colonnades fantastic - when moonbeam touched.

Fit parents for leaf and bough so wondrous.

 

Sing - ye boughs - ye twigs - ye leaves-

Sing - and dance - and wave - and spin

To every vagrant breeze.

 

Wonderful green - wonderful trees -

Wonderful Blue Gum Forest.

 

   Walter Tarr