MEMORIES OF A CEDAR CUTTER . . .

On his verandah there sat the old man, box of old photos on the ground
reliving days of his youth as a cedar cutter, when still of body, mind, sound
almost confined to wheelchair in his twilight years, dog keeping him company
memories came flooding back, from years gone by, they were varied and many

Magically in his mind's eye, photos come alive, showing mates and working chums
revealng dense expanse of mountains, valleys, witth stands of tall grey-green gums
they treated each other like a brother, the years they spend helping one another
that special bond still seemed to exist even now, whenever there was a get-together

Echoes of the sounds of axes reverberating, cutting down tall Cedar trees, chop, chop
the call of "Timberrr", a ver pronounced silence, mighty whoosh, when giant did drop
in the distance the bullocky was waiting with his team, whip cracking, chains a-rattle
to move this giant down the steep mountain, would be a very difficult job, a real battle

The bullocks pulled this way and that, the bullocky's colourful language renting the air
come on you lazy Molly, Daisy, you can do better, I want a bit more bloody pull there
steam rising from their backs, straining chains to breaking point, whip swooshing thru air
finall giant log started to move, this was the danger point, one had to take great care

Those were hectic days, no letting up of the arduous shifting of logs, more ahead
logs had to moved off mountain, come what may, one careless move, you'd be dead
they were held on embankments near the river, on which to be floated, after rain
there were many such places, to drag logs too far was dangerous, in this steep terrain

Soon rain did come, the logs released into the river, really dangerous work now began
guiding them over rapids, around bends, the untanglements when caught up in a jam
one had to be almost a ballet dancer, jumping from log to log, half submerged, wet
in past some lives were lost, crushed by logs, losing footing, sofar hadn't happened yet

As men and logs furiously sped past,looking on in awe, were the settlers along the river
watching those taking risks, even the thought of one slipping under logs, made you shiver
after hazarduous journey logs finally reached enormous millpond, this their holding yard
from here through the noisy saws, processing of beautiful timber would now really start.