In Love of the Bush - a Poem by Wilf Thomsen

A Poem by Wilf Thomsen

If I see a TV Interview, of men I look up to and respect
Great men like RM Williams and this isn't a joke
It brings a tear to my eye and  a lump to my throat
Men like Sydney Kidman and old Nat Buchanan grand
We'll see men like them again, but in the corporate empire land.

I used to read "Hoof and Horns" magazine when I was just a nipper
And now I read the "Outback", it is another ripper
I have my own little piece of land call it country call it bush
It gives me some place I can go when the urges pull and push

I love to work timber or to cultivate land
I never owned enough of it to make a living grand
On my little piece of dirt I'll run a few nice cattle
And a real good horse or two will be half the battle.

I'll farm my trees, thin them out and watch the best ones grow
From horses, cattle and timber I will get my pleasure
And into my older years I go as I strike another blow
You can close me in many ways and in some directions push
But you won't completely take out of me the urge for going bush

Talk about the gum trees by the roadways and the willows by the creek
I can't help but get emotional and my knees they grow weak
I''ll spend a little time in that neck of the woods I know
And from that sort of living the very best feelings grow
So if my god be willing and many years I get
In the country I'll be happy be the weather dry or wet.

I know these words have been said lots of times before
So if I can take a minute and say them just once more
And no doubt many fellows can say this as I can
You can take the man from the country
but you''ll never take the country from the man.