'To Taracoonee' - a Poem

'TO TARACOONEE'

Robert Vicars home up Hawkesbury River

Many years ago a couple

Chose a hillside by a river

By the Hawkesbury River

Where it winds from Windsor eastwards

Turns to wander to Berowra

Then turns right to wind up Marra

And they built a home upon it

And they named it Taracoonee

Round about the house they planted

Trees and flowers, palms and fruit trees

Reclaimed land then from the river

Planted lawn where once were mud banks

Next they built a pool where children

Might play safely and learn rowing

In a strong flat-bottomed dinghy

And these children grew from childhood

With the trees of Taracoonee

Oh the peace of Taracoonee

When you wakened in the morning

Heard the tiny wavelets lapping

On the rocks around the point

Heard the currawongs clear calling

Heard the kookaburras laughing

And the black crows raucous crying

As they flew above the point

Then to float upon the river

Drifting idly in reflections

Of the steep hillsides around us

On the grassy water - Each

Watching ripples slowly spreading

Widening outwards o'er the river

Causing little wavelets breaking

On the tiny sandy beach

Then the silence would be broken

By the phut phut of the launches

As the fishermen went slowly

On a lonely river reach

And on Friday nights we waited

Watching, peering through the darkness

Looking for the tiny launch light

As it came around the point

And the travellers on the launch watched

Till they saw across the water

Distant lights from Taracoonee

Shining out across the water

Oh the beauty of the garden

When the Illawarra Flame tree

Mixed its lovely scarlet blossoms

With the mauve of the wisteria

And the green of the bamboo

And at night the Norfolk Pine tree

Silhouetted in the moonlight

Gainst the silver of the river

And the hills of navy blue

And as years passed onwards lovers

Strolled along the shaded pathways

Wandered underneath the gum trees

On the grasses damp with dew

Then the war came - and for years

Taracoonee dreamt alone

With the currawongs and magpies

And the waves and whispering breeze

All was silent on the river

And the tides crept slowly sighing

Lapping gently on the mud banks

In among the mangrove trees

Ah! But now the children's children

Shout and laugh beneath the palm trees

Little dimpled laughing babies

Sturdy brown legged boys and girls

Learn to row in that same dinghy

Paddle from the yellow beachlet

Watch for soldier crabs at low tide

Float at morning in the pool

And the now tall jacarandas

Drop their petals on the grasses

And the frangipanni flowers

Throw their fragrance on the air

And the peace of Tacacoonee

Where it stands beside the river

Is a solace and a blessing

Unto all who linger there

Jean Carter, Xmas 1947