'Drought, flood & bushfire' - biblical constants

Drought dried waterhole became a bog

Sheila in the Bog (Sheila - Australian slang for 'woman')

A glimpse of bovine terror -
Rolled back eyes and flared nostrils
Showed your intense and overpowering fear
Of sinking further into the mud


Drought dried waterhole
Circled by frantic calf, desperate to connect
Sensed disaster removing prime security
Yet respected danger there


It’s hungry demands had led you to
Seek scant remaining water
Violent efforts to reach familiar foothold
Immersed you even deeper


At your peak of terror when it seemed
your struggle for survival had been lost
Help arrived in human form
Backed up with red tractor


“Hook the noose around the horns
Hold the horns - keep the head steady.
Don’t want to break her neck!
Come on Girl - you can make it!”

“Well done Men, - I knew

We’d get the sheila out of the bog”

Mates back in the army on duty again!

They got her out - she didn't last the night. We feel for the livestock and native animals trapped in the floods. 


Clara - Stanthorpe Queensland -
October 2002





Aftermath - following September 11, Bali bombings Undermined human security

Terror

Bovine terror in your eyes -
Your familiar foothold
No longer there.
Structure of security changed
Threatening the fibre
Of your survival.
Drought is your terrorist--