Paradise For Me Poem by Francis Duggan

We read of paradise beyond the stars
Far beyond the Planets of Jupiter and Mars
But paradise for me is not that far
Just a short drive down to Birdsland in my car.

In the early morning just after daybreak
By the gravel path that winds around the lake
The pied shag hangs her wet wings out to dry
And magpie flutes on blackwood tree nearby.

On the lake the white feral goose from me keep a safe span
He's learnt for to be wary of man
And black duck and her ducklings by him swim
They must feel safe when they are close to him.

The goose she lowers her neck in a threat display
And hiss out at my dog as if to say
'Your kind hassle our kind every day
And it's time that you and your human friend were on your way'.

All things of beauty are a thing of joy
The eastern rosellas chirping as they fly
And red browed finches birds one seldom see
Fly from the scrub to low branch of young tree.

Many seem to think that paradise is far
But for me it's just a short drive in the car
To Birdsland for a walk around the lake
At early morning just after daybreak.