Desertification (published poem)

before cultivation the water flowed
bouncing on leaves falling falling
to pool on fertile forest floor below

before cultivation the water flowed
flora bursting with life and clean air
jostling for sunspace canopy flirting

before cultivation the water flowed
we didn’t listen as we ploughed
clearing tree roots to feed fields

before cultivation the water flowed
now encrusted salt lusts after land
no sweetness here just bitter dry sand

Frances Macaulay Forde © 2008

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NOTE: Published in FAWWA Anthology 2008 “Lines in the Sand” available here: http://www.fawwa.org.au/projects/anthology.htm

Also I was asked to do a featured reading for the launch of John Kinsella’s book “Shades of the Sublime & the Beautiful” 29th April 2008 at the University of WA Bookshop.

This poem inspired another poem of the same name by an emerging young poet called Marlia Doughlas published in "Indigo Journal Vol 111" which also included another of my poems "My Life As A Sari" on page 88 and is available to purchase from (and the poem may be read) Fremantle Press: http://www.fremantlepress.com.au/news/archive/91