~ grave purple grave ~

“Best take a look at your back field there son before we have to trespass”
the younger man worn heart worn hand looked up from his monthly beer
the older man saw in the younger eyes fading skies and dreams
he’d been there many droughts ago but their life is too dry for tears

“Tis Patterson’s curse you have swallowing your land and I must stop it swallowing mine”
the eyes of the younger held no more wonder filled with horror
the years of digging and of burning heartfelt sadness long lost yearning
as his world crashed about his ears

staring at bubbles of dwindling white
he knew then life’s expectation of right
it would break the heart of his fragile wife
to bring the “pretty” (poison) purple weed down

“Let me know when you’ll start and we’ll all come pitch in”
offered the older one bereft of a son knowledge softening rough wrinkles
with many willing hands the curse will be banned
and life can begin with clean slate

cold comfort now to know they had won
the purple has gone
and with it his love
she followed the fire to it’s grave

adgray › Portfolio › ~ grave purple grave ~

~ grave purple grave ~ by adgray

I’m sorry but when I see fields of Patterson’s Curse I think of all the introduced violations of our country
The Govt have this site
and this list includes –
Plants – Mistletoe, Ivy, Blackberry, Bridle Creeper, Prickly Pear, St John’s Wart, Alligator weed, Athel pine, Needle grass, common gorse, Lantana, Mesique, Mimosa, Parkinsonia, Parthenium weed, pond apple, rubber vine, Giant salvinia, serrated tussock, willows (yes the trees),
Animals – cane toads, foxes, rabbits, camels, feral domestic animals, hooved animals, big cat feline mascots, mynah, starling, pigeon, carp, trout, perch, whitetail spiders, red fire ants, yellow crazy ants, western honey bees European wasps, Elm leaf beetle & parasitic fly and so many more!
and most came with the whiteman.
Some we have to endure, others we need to eradicate all of them must be controlled because all of them are destroying this land and it’s indigenous flora & fauna.

So when I saw this paddock of purple Field of Dreams these words filled my head as if I were in the pub up the bar with them.
Thank you Steven Agius for giving me focus for venting my bugbear!

Comments

Cliveabout 3 years ago

Superb wording my good friend, and I totally agree with your feelings on all the introduced spicies, both plant and animal, we have lost so much of our native flora and fauna through it and the worst part is it is still happening
Most of the fire fuel now days is these introduced weeds – they are great in their own country established environments but out here they create ecological genocide! – all the blackberry and Bridal Creeper all through the Yarra Ranges ……..
But I’ve been through a war about it last year (lol) I’ll just allow the truth to speak for itself this year.
Thank you for reading my bar story
Chookas! X♥X

PS Mick is finally active again – Frankston CFA were so happy to have him! I sigh in relief for him but now I do the spouse patient support thing ♥
– adgray
AmandaWittabout 3 years ago

My mum told me when we saw a field of it in the country or interstate, why it’s called ‘curse’.
The birds & insects spread it so easily and it kills off the land completely & you cant get it out unless you “Fire the field”
You think they’d be more diligent as it will poison animals who accidentally eat it too!
The same with Blackberries and with mistletoe
- that stuff is killing our gumtrees in our native forests in the outback of our state where the cockies love to eat the berries
- that weed is a parasite on our trees because it latches onto a branch and grows roots into the tree and saps it of all nutrients and then when the tree’s dead the cockies pass the seeds on to the next tree
- It is so high up in the canopy you cant get it! You have to cut the branch off & burn the blasted stuff!! But you can’t get to a branch that’s 60 feet in the air!
It makes me cry to drive up through it when we go to Kaniva all because some stupid immigrated girl wanted to “Kiss her beau under it at Christmas!”
I get sooo angry!
– adgray
Cliveabout 3 years ago

Tell me about it, they dry out so quick in our environment and half of them are full of a gaseous substance that ignites so readily. Great to hear Mick is active again. xx
Yep he’s there tonight and should be revamping his BA soon [& then his Colonel Sanders beard has to come off <( lol]
Chookas! X♥X
– adgray