Lines composed about Cherry Lake, Altona, Victoria a man-made lake from the remains of natural wetlands

On first impression,

A quiet place;

In the bustle of man’s industry.

A wild aspect surrounded by modern facility,

The lifeless objects of our Age.

offering an absurd reality.

All can be forgotten;

In echoes of the wetlands past.

The shadow that remains.

A wildness contained by regulation.

Threatened by overbearing pillars

Spewing grey refuse.

Down the uncaring lash,

Water screened by nature’s reach

To join the sky and be refreshed.

The vacant neighbours stand in vigil

To a purpose lost in time,

And a future yet unknown.

Through the dense marsh,

A silent mirror reflecting golden rays.

Infinitely changeable by the day;

Harsh winds echo in primal swell,

Fury pounds the prison walls

Shadowing a former might.

A return to tragic circumstance;

The smell of a fresh trim

On fields designed for contest

And laughter on the wind.

A return to the reality

We twisted and besmirched.