Song Of A Nature Loving Man Poem by Francis Duggan

Were I a nature lyric poet my special gifts I'd share
With all who'd care to read my verse people from everywhere
But I don't have the gift of verse or so 'twould seem to me
So I can't share what I don't have with all humanity.

I'm just going back a few short months a pleasant memory
A koala with her baby on top branch of gum tree
On evening in mid april an evening bright though cool
At Tower hill just a short drive from the town of Warrnambool.

Were I a nature lyrist in words I'd celebrate
And my sense of joy at what I'd seen to all I would relate
A leaf eating nature mother with offspring on her back
Not unlike human mother with baby in knapsack.

To hear a yellow robin when spring is in her prime
On low down branch of wattle and shielded from sun shine
Sing his sad song of november his plaintive melody
Were I a bard I'd capture his song in poetry.

I find nature fascinating just look at simple honey bee
Whose ways are not so simple as they appear to be
Had I the gift of lyric of honeybees I'd write
A simple song of nature a song to give delight.

I see my God in Nature his creatures everywhere
The kangaroo with babe in pouch, the swallows of the air
The platypus and echidna, the wombat and emu
The lorikeet and rosella, the galah and cockatoo.

The laughing kookaburra whose laughter pierce quiet morn
A gold billed blackbird whistling at twilight on whitethorn
The noisy miner's cheerful song and wattlebird's hoarse like call
And bell magpie fluting notes of joy the sweetest sound of all.

A wallaby at forest edge in fading light of day
Standing almost statue like by quiet bush roadway
Were I a bard I'd capture this and on paper write it down
And bring the bush to living rooms of people in the town

And though I'm no bard I'm realist and I do know what I am
I'm one who comes from distant hills a 'Nature loving man'
And I feel happier of late happy and worry free
For I've found god after long search and nature's god to me.