Geoffrey Piers Henry Dutton AO was an Australian author and historian. Dutton was born into a prominent pastoralist family in Kapunda, South Australia in 1922. He studied at the University of Adelaide and the University of Oxford. Whilst studying at the University of Adelaide, he wrote for the student newspaper On Dit and avant-garde magazine Angry Penguins. During his career, Dutton wrote or edited over 200 books, including poetry, fiction, biographies, art appreciation, art and literary history, travel books, novels for children and critical essays. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1976, and died in 1998.)
Shark
Sometimes when the shallow water is clear and green
A long and steadily moving shape is seen,
And the whole bright bay suddenly grows dark,
And swimmers rush for the shore at the cry of ‘Shark!’
Porpoises bounce cheerfully up and down
But sharks go grimly straight, as if a frown
Was above the horrible grin I cannot see,
And those little eyes were glaring straight at me.
Lazily the dark shape turns, to disappear
Above the weed, and the sea is full of fear.
No thank you, just now I haven’t any wish
To swim, or even to launch the boat to fish.