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'Little Book of Weather reflects Australians' fascination with the weather of their arid continent: those on the land watch for stormy skies promising to relieve the parched ground, or grieve the loss of the top soil to the wind; those in towns and cities wait for rain to fill up the water tanks and reservoirs. People appreciate the beauty of the snow, of mist in the morning or of light streaming through the clouds. The years come and go, often marked by events that become part of Australian folklore—the 1895 Federation drought, the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires in Victoria and South Australia, the 1990 floods in New South Wales and Queensland, the February 7 2009 Victorian bushfires.
'The latest addition to the National Library of Australia's 'Little Books' series, Little Book of Weather features the work of some of Australia's much-loved poets, including Judith Wright, Les Murray, David Campbell, Mudrooroo, James McAuley, Banjo Paterson and Dorothea Mackellar, along with beautiful images from the Library's collection by Joseph Lycett, Edward Close, Ellis Rowan, Harold Cazneaux, Peter Dombrovskis, Olegas Truchanas, Katherine Nix and others.' (From the publisher's website.)
Contents
- Spider on the Snowi"Gold fire, blue glaze, thin tangle of cirrus thread;", single work poetry (p. 3)
- A Squall at Seai"Now o'er the deep wind blows fresh and free,", single work poetry humour (p. 4)
- Sleeping Out : A Storm at Nighti"Wailing comes the south breeze, heralding the gale,", single work poetry (p. 6)
- The Weather Propheti""`Ow can it rain," the old man said, "with things the way they are?", single work poetry humour (p. 9)
- Late Summer Firesi"The paddocks shave black", single work poetry (p. 10)
- Send Her Down!i"We used to say, 'Send her down Hughie,'", single work poetry (p. 12-12)
- Cloudsi"What really are the clouds, one may ask", single work poetry (p. 14)
- Life's Stormi"My life so battered and torn", single work poetry (p. 17)
- Raindropsi"The rain lies quietly, resting", single work poetry (p. 18)
- Unknown Wateri"No rain yet, and the creek drying, and no rain coming;", single work poetry (p. 21)
- Cloud, Lighti"Long stillness of afternoon. The sky", single work poetry (p. 22)
- Impression : Spring Weatheri"Here's the land of milk and honey 'was promised us of old-", single work poetry (p. 25)
- Prayer for Raini"Sweet rain, bless our windy farm,", single work poetry (p. 26)
- Surfi"When the ocean with the motions of a washing-machine", single work poetry (p. 29)
- Dusti"THIS sick dust, spiralling with the wind,", single work poetry (p. 30-31)
-
Thunderi"A mighty noise rises up, roars as it rushes by",
single work
poetry
(p. 32)
Note: Only English text.
- Morning of Misti"Yesterday vast plains and distant ranges,", single work poetry (p. 35)
-
Silent Thaw
Untitledi"silent thaw",
single work
poetry
(p. 36)
Note: With title: Silent Thaw
- Firefighteri"In this desperate smoke of evening", single work poetry (p. 39)
-
Fog 7.30 A.M.i"Morning early. Stillness",
single work
poetry
(p. 40)
Note: With title: Fog 7.30 a.m.
