Ben and Bella lived in the cellar
Of their little home on the rise
And from their chimney, smoke would choke
Its wispy way to the skies.
Each morning at their old front fence
The rumble bumble bus
Would gobble cheeky children up
Including the likes of us.
The rumble bumble omnibus
Would shudder on its way
If Ben and Bella were not seen
Then all would be okay.
At least that’s what my father said
He seemed to know these things
So off to school to comprehend
The joy that knowledge brings.
And on our way, a song or two
To brighten up the day
Absurdly wordy ditties these
The morning’s fine entrée.
So once at school our pen and ink
Would scribble spidery script
In copper plate no longer seen
We’d blot out any blip. |
Explorers of this sunburnt land
Their journals we perused
Or better still, an old film strip
Explained the routes they used.
Blaxland, Wentworth, Bass and Sturt
Stuart, Oxley, Eyre
Leichhardt, Burke – the list goes on
Exploring here and there.
While some got lost along the way
Others found themselves
Antipodean adventurers
Soon filled the library shelves.
But back to Ben and back to Bella
What happened to those two?
A freeway covered up their home
And forced them to shoot through.
Or are they in their cellar still
Quite happy and content
Waiting for the omnibus
That is no longer sent?
© Jim Low -2007 |
