A Winter's Day In The Hills South East Of Melbourne Poem by Francis Duggan

The currawongs calling on the wooded hillside and water keeps on dripping from the trees
And it is a day of sleety showers and drizzle and signs of more rain in the freshening breeze
The sun behind heavy cloud cover hidden and the sky is looking overcast and gray
And on the wooded hills south east of Melbourne it is a typical mid Winter's day.

The kookaburras harsh laugh like calls re-echo they have a territory to defend
Their breeding season it is fast approaching and to their natural urges they attend
And though the weather is rainy and dreary the wattle trees are cloaked in yellow flowers
Some trees and shrubs they only bloom in Winter and they look their best in the cool winds and showers

A thick fog envelopes the mountain woodland and hides the giant mountain ash away
It is a dull day in the higher country and everywhere is looking dreary and gray
It has been said that trees are Nature's sponges that from the clouds they seem to siphon the rain
But I am not well versed in the ways of Nature and from such a topic I ought to refrain.

A Winter's day in the hills south east of Melbourne and the loud whistles of the currawong
Are sounds once heard that cannot be mistaken you know that bird to whom the voice belong
And the weather cool and damp and drear and drizzly and the temperatures as low as eight degrees
And in the fog the giant gums are hidden and water keeps on dripping from the trees.