When August sifts the silver rains
O'er land and sea,
By blossom-mantled hills and plains
My heart goes free
Along the Cootamundra's lanes --
It cannot stay with me.
It cannot stay with me, so dull
The drab days go,
By ferny ways more wonderful,
And gloom and glow.
It roams where ruffling breezes lull
And singing waters flow.
When winter's laggard legions pass
'Neath the hill's brow,
The roadsides by the green morass
Are flowered now With emeralds spangled on the grass
And pearls strung on the bough.
And habit binds the weakening thongs
That keep me, though
To realms where beauty's home belongs
My heart must go
Beyond the purple Dandenongs
When spring winds gently blow.
But sweeter far it were to be
In windy weather.
What wonder worlds might we not see
Of flower and feather.
Keeping such goodly company,
My heart and I together!
On mornings when the magpie sings
Above the track,
How sere the seamy side of things,
And dull, alack!
Where, tired of lonely wanderings,
My heart comes back.
First published in The Bulletin, 26 August 1926
