Journey across the seas

They took a long, long journey
Far across the tumultuous seas
Left their homeland behind them
Ready to begin a new life you see
Left everything but the clothes they wore
There was no room: no way to carry more
They finally reached the safety of the border
Finally were able to breathe again at last
They'd left behind their families: yes everyone
Was left behind: maybe for a little: maybe forever
Only God did know the score
They were destitute, at a loss, poor
Until they were taken in: processed 
Sent upon their way to a new land; a new home
Until they were sailing in a great big ship
So it seemed to them right then
As they were tossed, turned and tossed again
They left Genoa on December the 14th
Way back in 1956: yes that was the date
Six weeks on board the ship upon the seas
Via the Cape of Good Hope down in Africa
(Couldn't travel via the Suez Canal as there was a war)
Got off the "Aurelia" on the 30th of January 1957
It was a beautiful morning as they disembarked
Thankful for that long journey now finally over
As they cast their eyes upon those shores
Welcoming them to their new home in Melbourne
So far away across those stormy seas!

They were taken by train to Bonegilla Refugee camp
After leaving the Italian ship Aurelia on 30 January 1957

Across the border

I asked my cousin just the other day
What he remembered of that journey
What he could still remember for me
(I was inside my mummy's tummy
Thus I didn't know anything at all!)
When my whole family escaped
Across the border from Hungary
On that dark night led by our guide
Walking in silence for so many miles
Kali was six years old back then
Just a little kid: bigger than his two brothers
Bigger than my own brother too
Alec was about one and a half back then
My mum and dad followed my Uncle
He it was who had to leave: had been imprisoned
They were not happy with him you see
Thought he was a troublemaker even then
My auntie was with them, another uncle too
When they decided to leave their country
Decided to leave their whole family too
All those aunts and uncles, cousins too
He remembered seeing lights far away
Feeling anxious to say the least
Worrying about being caught by guards
Hearing shots being fired: they were shooting rabbits
Many times he felt like they were going the wrong way
Heading towards the Austrian border: far away
After they crossed over it was still a long way
Many more miles to traverse in the daylight
Then there were Austrian soldiers picking them up
Taking them to a village: he saw a haystack
It felt like they'd gone to the end of the world
To him it really was: past anywhere he'd ever been
Yes so far away from what was normal
Into the scary great big wide world!
Being brought across the world to Australia!

Memorial

I went to the memorial store
Had to do something
Yes had to do something more
I'd left it as long as I could
Now I must get on with it
Get up and try to move again
It's been a long time it seems
And yet in reality it's only been 
Four short months: dragged along
In life's stony grip: I've been lost
At sea it seems to me: tossed 
But now I've found my feet
They were underneath me
But sadness had made me slip
Into depression: no denying it!

Now the order has been placed
Time to get up to date at last
My own kids thought I was mad
Wanting to hang onto him
Their dad: well his ashes at least
Some might think it strange but
I just wasn't ready to set him down
Wanted to hang onto his ashes
Wanted to keep him around
Why should I give in to others?
He was my husband not theirs
Shouldn't it be up to me: not them?
I spent more than half my life with him
It was my choice of venue for the funeral
My choice too where I want him to reside!

Knock out Pneumonia

My cousin gave me a recipe
Said it was really good
To knock that old pneumonia
Right on its silly head
Take a two litre bottle
Filled 2/3 with orange juice
And 1/3 with lemon juice
Add chopped Ginger and garlic
Maybe half a teaspoon of cayenne
Mix it well and drink it all up
Cup by cup: 4 times a day
That's the way she said
To knock that old pneumonia
Right on its silly head!

The sweetest fruit

Nana Lindy always said
That dad's oranges were
The sweetest she ever had
The smaller the better
The sweeter the taste
It must have been because
The trees got so much
Lovely sunshine in Kingston
Yes they got the best weather
On those peaceful slopes
Growing sweet along the River
Right there in the middle
Of the River lands: at our  block
In the driest state of the driest
Continent: Australia! Home!

Damsel in distress

I know I don't really look
Like a damsel in distress
But I was distressed last week
Could find that tap which I did seek
I'd made a mess of things you see
Ran into a huge pot with the ride on mower
Pushed it toward the pipes: accidentally!
The water came gushing out of it
Leaving a great big wet mess
Oh why do these things happen to me?
Oh I was angry I must confess
Told my hubby of my clumsiness
He was just not happy!
Now months later on: this is my bitch
I couldn't get him to fix it as
There was a major hitch!
As he went to turn off our mains tap
It broke off in his hand: what a mess!
So we raced around trying to stop the flow
Turned off all the rain water tanks as you know
Thought that would be the end of it but
Its still leaking quite a bit: what a mess
The water bill came in: high as could be
I must confess over the past few months
I just didn't think of it: so much pain in my heart
For Tim's loss was all that was there from the start
Now as I searched along the road
There was nothing to show me: no signs at all
I just couldn't remember the site: what a fight!
My memory has suffered quite a bit
Those other thing that didn't feel important
For the past three months: came calling
Yes: screaming at my inability to cope with it
So was I a damsel in distress: yes me
I had to call for help you see: obviously
Tim is gone: I can't ask him: where that tap is?
So I called up and begged for help
I thank God for those who listened to my pleas
For someone came to turn off that tap
Someone actually heard me crying out
I thank God for those wonderful people who
Came to save me in my hour of need
Thank you Lord for helping me!
When I really needed it you see!

The Bogey man

My Uncle used to try to frighten us
Telling us all creepy tales: scary tales
He was always telling gory stories
These were definitely not fairy tales
All about crazy scary monsters
Yes nasty types everywhere
Ready to jump out and get you
No matter where you were!
He told of smacking machines
He told of monsters in the cupboards
Monsters sneaking around us
He said they'd get the naughty children
He said they'd crunch our bones
It didn't matter what we did
Those monsters would just come along

My cousins were a lot older than me but
There is one thing I clearly recall
My big cousins were afraid of the dark
Yes they were absolutely terrified
Their mean old dad had them cringing
Had them shaking in their boots
He had them totally under his mean old thumb
They could not go out to get the water
They were too scared to move an inch
So little me offered to take them
Outside for to get some water to fetch
I held out my hand and said to them
"Hold my hand I will take you there!"
You see I wasn't frightened of any of
Those old monsters he said were there!