*Photo of Ngurumpaa by S.Judge 2019.
Country clings to sweat, tasting each other
As we walk together amongst the reaching hands
Of Acacia, Geebung, and Eucalypt.
Reaching hands that stroke and caress
Animal skin with leafy fingers,
Getting to know the contours of each muscle
As soil meets the soles of seeking feet.
A drop of blood and a womb of stone…
Guide my steps, lift me up
From your deep belly,
Born anew with humble delight,
Patient delight, delight in this place.
Delight and relief from painful things
Stirring elsewhere.
This place where animals come
To pray for water, to ask for what they need,
To rest in the arms of Mother.
Crawling across paths laid by foot and step
Of elusive kin whose secrets are told
In the scents of sandy soil…
Paw and claw alike of Lizard, Lyrebird,
Wombat, Wallaby, and little Antechinus too.
Laying in cool Wallaby digs amongst
The nourishing shit from their gut feelings,
Sinking into impressions of their bodies,
Wallaby sinking into me.
He feels like family, she feels like home.
In fur, shade, shit and soil I become just me,
No more and yet, no less.
Sky spirit watching overhead –
Is it Dragon, or maybe Kangaroo in flight?
Gentle Ant kisses suck Country from my toes!
Some places are nocturnal like the animals
Whose lessons live there, etched in ancient stone.
Sweating into this land, sun burning my water
Up through skin into breeze to be carried amongst,
Introduced to, each whispering leaf.
Auntie hears dances, Uncle speaks colours…
I follow in their steps and the ochre flow
Of the River Serpent with trust,
Listening for feelings of wisdom woven into
The rhythms of this learning.
Little Bat 