Sounds of Country

The eucalyptus shivers in the chill,

casting long shadows down the sleepy hill.

The magpie kicks things off before its flight,

a tumbling warble in the fading night.

Dry gum leaves crunch as clumsy wombats pass,

a thud of heartbeat through the frosty grass.

The first warm sunrays catch a sleepy bear,

while mountain creeks begin to clear the air.

A kookaburra laughs to wake the wood,

where sleepy koalas sit and watch the hood.

And up above, where early mists uncurl,

The serene outback is set in pearl.