I'm dressed in blue and green today,
the colors of the mighty sea;
the color of the earth and sky,
flow in my veins through me.

Bicyclists climb distant hills,
'neath clouds of silver-grey:
bright dots among the landscape,
pedaling their hearts away.

I've never seen the grass this high,
nor so many shrubs in bloom;
Queen Anne's lace, lupine flowers,
dance in a breezy tune.

The monsoon rains have come,
with all it's frightful power;
with hard and driving force,
instead of just a shower.

Half a year's total comes quite fast,
flash flooding in dry creeks;
but nothing escapes water,
as it's own level it soon seeks.

Then the sun regains its throne,
once more, the sunny reign;
dispelling all dark clouds,
over shadowed plain.

around the garden
a dainty blue butterfly
did pirouette all day

in his hands he held a piece of rock
within it lay a diamond of beauty
he pined to extract her from the ore
for he so wished to polish her perfections
yet she wouldn't be easily coaxed
out of her mother load of material

he pondered long
over the gem so exquisite
how he yearned to see her facets
gleaming for him
but she was embedded and unreachable
there she lay within the rough mantle of the ore

ne'er could she be his to hold
ne'er could he feel her heart
palpating along side his
his hopes were dashed
his longing would remain
the lovely diamond staying
within the rock's grain

servicemen ingested the wrath, leaching through unsuspecting bodies
in a time capsule it sat in idleness, waiting to affect their aged bodies

no safeguards were in place, the testing went on without accountability
the red dust of the outback irradiated, protective cladding not on bodies

years later cancers were reported, nuclear particles ratcheting up
damaging the organs and bones, in frail manner were their bodies

a mushroom cloud hung low, the aftermath of British testing
the servicemen but lab rats, no one had regard for these bodies

friendly fire came to Australia, back in the nineteen fifties
Maralinga a tragedy in the making, its dire fallout stayed in bodies

And still I dream of stepping back into yesterday
Where time flowed so freely golden with serenity
We would sit in pine scented grove and sip lemonade
Our talk tranquil as sun dappled creek murmuring in quiet wood
Never arguing or complaining but flooded with blissful reverie
A time bygone and peaceful, learning to know each other again
Listening to the background symphony of cicadas and katydids
Poignantly nostalgic with yearnings of bygone days
Watching velvety dusk deepen into shades of whispering night
Relishing each breeze laden with moss and murmuring pine
Anticipating the dawn awakened by drowsy robins and wood thrush
Skies east to west stained with strawberry hues and dreams renewed
And still I shall dream on

**~Hilda~