Bushland ballads

Far in bushland, away from the loud light

Of street illuminations and the city night,

Under a dark blanket sprinkled with pinprick sparks

That blaze tiny glows deep into the outer reaches, stark

Of a universe without ending,

Only a continual beginning, a sound

That booms infinitely on

 Into night to day that changes around

We are a grain held in sand cupped in a hand

Of the ancient Holy One, poured out and in again

Through the dimensions of space - place and time meeting.

The flames burst forth, a warm glow, rich and alive

On a solid menorah of metal bound, silver or gold,

The oil, fruit of a hardy tree, flares up from glass cups, their blaze strives

To bring light as truth shining into this long night of thievery and injustice.

So far removed from dead pines cut and transported on trucks,

To houses where they stand in crepe covered buckets, spun with tinsel strings

Plastic fairies or angels perched at their peaks,

Like the idols of old along with coloured balls that tend to break

Into dangerous shards able to tear tender flesh.

Children are told over and over

Of a white bearded fat man wearing a red suit

Come rain, hail, summer heat or sleet

Who travels in a sky sled around the world in one night,

Defining good and evil in each child

Through the parents’ sight

A metaphor for justice who gives

 To the worthy; to those wanting, each in their measure

For you there is the cat’o’nine tails  and you there is treasure

A cunning device built on a scale for ancient myths

To explain the unexplainable.

Under this dead symbol of living, are placed temporary tokens

Of esteem and good will just for the day

When families gather to gobble ham bone and roasts lashed with gravy, gluttony reigns

Beer and sherry abundant for adults, soft drink or shandies for children

Who compare gifts and judge the givers’ worth

On a family stock market

Where affection is measured on the scale of each dollar spent

And means a rise or fall in the affections bank.

To finish with wine trifle, size up the family members

Store away thoughtless remarks to stew angrily over the year

Berate your children that they do not become

like stinky older uncles who sit in offices all day.

‘you are just like him. You will never get married.

Don’t eat too much ice cream. See, you have a fat bottom already.

All he does is watch birds all day.

Here give him some deodorant soap and spray.

Wrap it well.  Be sure to put “enjoy in good health”

Neatly inside the card. Your best writing now.’

Or uncles with corks attached to battered hats,

Who play real stock markets and guzzle beer

Married to an interesting aunt in tight leopard skin who slithers

Her thigh next to your father’s leg and looks up into his eyes

 With an inviting look and loud laugh

That he does not see and only half hears,

Intent on discussing livestock markets with his older half brother,

He is busy with next year’s sheep and cattle prices

Besides he is already well married to your mother

In a contract so binding he would not look at another,

Thus she preens for another brother, Jezebel

With a ring that sparkles for naught.

The tree is thrown out and another cut next year.

Paper litters the carpet and is gathered and sorted,

The torn for the bin and the whole folded and kept for birthdays and another year.

The day is swept away for another twelve months.

However in another space,

The menorah is used for eight days, a flame that brings redemption

Is lit each day to increase, one by one until eight is reached.

Dreidels are played and gelt given, latkes fried in oil enjoyed,

Children laugh and sing in that warm glow.

Then after the eighth day, the menorah is cleaned and packed away.

The sight of the flame held within, a hope, a pinprick of light holds tight against the night,

That yearns for a better day to dawn, when all men will join together

To form a holy alliance of true peace

To recognize One as G-D of justice and truth

Then will they put aside the tinsel, plastic angels and cards

The yearly rite of a shallow generosity

To take on a whole creed that requires

Daily attendance and reckonings,

 Not just annually.