Arid Adelaide

This ‘otherworldliness’ disturbs;

Beyond leaf-littered, wide suburbs

I see, encroaching on parched plains,

New building projects crowned with cranes.

 

Huge earthworks, fencing, “Keep out!” signs

For brand-new homes in dusty lines;

This barren landscape lacks a heart

The would-be roads mapped out, look stark.

 

Where entry needs no invitation

Key agenda issue: immigration;

This “Lucky Country” feels the strain

Hence the “Aussies do it tough” refrain.

 

For a visitor who loves the sun

Oz scenery is next to none

A privilege enjoyed by few:

Low rainfall is a tough call too!

 

For locals, this heat is a curse

Rates and tax hikes hit the purse;

Each year the risk of fire is high

As nowhere else is it so dry! 

(C) Poet in the woods 2026