Darkman’s tribe has walked this forest
Touched its spirit, and reached Dreamtime
Not disturbed these natural wonders
Watched the blue gums skyward climb.
Chorus:
It’s a place to come to and smell the bushland
See its beauty and hold in awe
Light the campfire and boil the billy
Marvel at the things you saw.
These trees have stood for countless years
Have seen the pioneers of old
Whose unsure footsteps trod this country
But quickly gained a firmer hold.
One tree stands out above the others
A blue gum of enormous height
The biggest tree that guards the clearing
This blue gum is a magnificent sight.
But some who pass are not so caring
They must destroy, then disappear
Into the bark they brutally carve
“J.C. and R.M. have been here.”
A tree so noble and so stately
Bleeding from a senseless act
Still others fire the ground beneath it
The tree’s foundations no more intact.
Well, J.C. and R.M. are no longer
Nor the tree that bore their name
The Blue Gum Forest holds the secret
And those who know it, share the shame.
August 1984
© Jim Low
