Christmas Day In Belgrave Poem by Francis Duggan

A hot and a humid afternoon and the temperatures still soar
It was 31 an hour ago and now it's 34
Even for Belgrave in Victoria a warm Christmas Day
And the dogs are panting in the shade too hot for them to play.

The chops and snags ready for frying and at twenty five to two
Lyn pour oil on the frying pan and switch on the barbecue
And Vic and Phil and Andy in the cypress shade drink beer
A happy Christmas to you all and lots of merry cheer.

They talk of Cricket and Aussie rules and of who might win the flag
And Lyn calls to them grub ready boys with your bread a chop or snag
You fellows don't have much to talk about your World is very small
There's more to life than cricket beer and Aussie Rules Football.

In defence of men Andy speaks up you women all the same
The team that won the flag last year I bet you couldn't name
She said you mean that silly game that at the M C G was played
Of course I know the answer mate the Crows from Adelaide.

Christmas Day in Belgrave and it's 34 degrees
And the afternoon so humid there is scarce a puff of breeze
And the men talk sport and drink beer and the Grand Final replayed
And the dogs lethargic from the heat are panting in the shade.