On my walks around the Canberran bush I have always admired how nature and suburbs can live in harmony. On one walk, I lamented that I did not see a kangaroo. So I penned the poem below and then decided to paint a scene looking from Mount Taylor to the Tuggeranong Town Centre. This is what inspires me to live in the Garden Capital but sadly, progress, bad planning and greed have resulted in change for the worst. This painting is to increase hope that the bush recovers and mankind begins to value Nature.
Nature - The Spirit of this Great Land
The hills are alive with the sounds of nature,
It’s a call for all Canberans to truly nurture
This great land where species abound
Let us ensure they can always be found
Kangaroos bound through the morning's soft gleam,
Their presence, a part of our collective dream.
Living in harmony our life they enhance
From Mount Taylor to Tuggeranong's vast expanse,
Beneath the canopy, where eucalypts stand tall,
Wombats wander, and lyrebirds call,
The whispering breeze through the wattles and pines,
A symphony ancient, as the land it defines.
Yet recent times have seen shadows fall,
With culls that echo through the bushland's call,
In Canberra's heart, the bush capital's grace,
We grapple with the balance, face to face.
For every life taken, a cry from the earth,
To remember its value, to honour its worth,
Kangaroos, our companions, through ages untold,
A symbol of spirit, courageous and bold.
Let's care for our nature, on this land we temporarily hold,
In harmony with flora and fauna, let’s dare to be bold,
On the path to preserving this precious domain,
Ensuring the wild calls of nature continue to reign.
Nature, the spirit of this great land,
Calls us to action, to understand,
In the heart of Canberra, let harmony stand,
As guardians together, in this great Land.
A poem by Andrew Smith 2024