Act Of God? Poem by David Keig

A coin when dropped will
In one second, fall sixteen feet
In two, sixty four
In three, one hundred and forty four.

They were driving back from Sydney
Mum and Dad and their two kids
The freeway was a nightmare
So they took the old road that they did.

The old road’s quite an old road
Been there for many years
The rain was slanting sideways
Being late home was their fear.

It was night and many lights were out
The road was dark and quite awash
Water running everywhere
The kids shrieked with every splash.

A short drive now back to the warmth
Of the house in which they lived
A short drive back now to that home
Where they brought up both their kids.

Just two and three I think they were
A precious time of life
The kids strapped in the back seat
In the front was man and wife.

A dip there in the road appeared
Just where there is a creek
But we’ll be home soon they both said
Both kids were now asleep.

‘Slow down now, that’s deep water’
Said the man unto his wife
Those were the very final words
He would utter in his life.

One hundred feet, one hundred feet
One hundred feet or more
Was the depth of that great puddle
Into which the rain had poured.

It was at a place called Somersby
When the rain had drained away
That they winched up that death carriage
On the following grey day.

Yes, the chasm it was very deep
A Grand Canyon not a puddle
So for everyone upon that road
And every time you loved ones cuddle
Just think of those four driving home
And think of their full fright
And hold each other closely
Each and every single night
We should live for every minute
We should relish every hour
For simple stupid circumstance
Can destroy life’s fragile flower.

A coin when dropped will
In one second fall sixteen feet
In two, sixty four
In three, one hundred and forty four.

It was that deep.



I met the family's best friend in a local pub yesterday. He had just got back from identifying the bodies.