Ballad Of October Wind

The October Wind blows over a sunburnt land.

Hot wind, on Halloween, weaving through hoop-pine stands,

Under watch of the golden, burning setting sun

And down a street lined with tall swaying spotted gums.

There, young mums with hands raised shield their eyes from the glare

As they shepherd hoards of children trick-or-treating.

Pirates. Princesses. Laughter fills the evening air,

While little red devils march with sickles beating.

Wind passes, tugging reaper robes and fairy hair

On its way into the trees, wild, ever seeking:

Shaking talon shaped leaves on the tall iron barks

Where brown possums skitter and kookaburras laugh,

As on the wind little Leaf-Litter Moths take flight

Toward a bustling house that shines with golden light.

A gust. A rustle, and the wind slips in the door

To a humid pounding music menagerie:

Vampire’s sleek black coat and red cloak of matador

Flashing; creatures, costumes, bare flesh and body heat.

A churning sea of sweating swaying people all

Talking, shouting, dancing to the wild thumping beat.

The wind slips out to where they sip on alcohol,

Coloured bottles like idols on their pedestal,

Munching chicken chips and fairy bread cut like ghosts

On the porch watching a mass of storm clouds approach.

Black clouds, hot on Halloween, roiling in the night.

Drumming rain closing fast along with lightning’s light.

Iron barks and gums in stormy gusts are shaken

As the watching partiers and wind escape within.

Inside cacophony! Music, thunder’s rumble!

The mass of dancers weave like thrashing leaves outside.

In haze of heat and drink: inhibitions crumble,

The smell of sweat and spirits, bodies intertwined,

The wind on panted breath, jolly drunken stumbles,

Debauchery in costume, an hour passes by.

Storm and party hit their wild peak then start to fade;

Wind and people stream out to watch the drizzling rain

Which falls in straight lines through the cool air of post storm,

And sprinkles cold upon their coloured costumed forms.

Moonlight through fractured clouds, people slowly scatter.

The wind wades into the night now shining starry,

Wending its way to the rain’s soft pitter-patter

Amidst the croaking frogs and fading reverie.

Through distant underbrush damp wallabies clatter

As haze of storm and party melt to memory.

The October Wind blows over storm-soaked country.

Cool wind, on Halloween, weaving ‘tween dripping trees,

Blowing and blowing under watch of glowing moon,

Past all the joy October brings, and gone too soon.