Susan Poem by Francis Duggan

She grew tired of outback living tired of paddocks flat and brown
And she resolved to move to Sydney live and work in the big Town
The nearest village two miles south east a milk bar and pub with T.A.B.
Surely there was more in Sydney more to do and more to see.

Tired of life as farmer's daughter of working with sheep and steers
She'd been helping out her dad and brother for what to her seemed many years
She was twenty getting older time to make fresh start elsewhere
Sydney beckoned and she answered she would go to live up there.

Packed her suitcase one May morning hugged her mum and dad goodbye
Mother sobbed keep in touch Susan hope you won't be letter shy
Her brother Tom drove her to bus stop partings always seem so sad
She would miss the farm, her brother and she would miss her mum and dad.

Went to live in southern Sydney found a job in factory
But she found it hard to settle she pined for her family
With new found friends she went to night clubs she was in bad company
And she was introduced to heroin and danger signs she could not see.

She was befriended by drug pushers she had met up with the wrong type
And lonely young woman from outback for the soul destroyers seemed ripe
Lost her job and life's direction walked the streets for higher pay
Lost her innocence and beauty and quickly went into decay.

An outback mum and dad still waiting as the days and months go by
For a letter from their daughter she's grown pen and paper shy
What has happened to our Susan she's not written for three years
Sobs her sad and worried mother as she wipes away her tears.

She grew tired of outback living tired of paddocks flat and brown
And she resolved to move to Sydney live and work in the big Town
And by night she walks the streets of King's Cross she doesn't
venture out by day
And her innocence has left her and her beauty in decay