To Rosie

Just nine days left to Christmas and another year near done And gray shrike thrush on blackwood branch pipe in the evening sun And magpie flutes his happy notes and golden whistler sing And kookaburra's laughter from the gums of Selby ring. At Nash's Christmas party held in Alec's front yard the ladies with their babies their husbands drinking hard And December in Australia a happy time of year The Christmas spirit in the air and jump in sales of beer. At Nash's Christmas party only one Homesick face Her thoughts are of a distant Land a cold and wetter place And Rosie talked of Northern Ireland and her home in County Down And the kin and friends she knew and loved in and near Bannbridge Town. I miss my home in Ireland that's what Rosie did say And I'd love to be in Bannbridge for dinner Christmas Day To meet my kin and family and friends I love so dear I'd love to be in Bannbridge around this time of year. But she won't spend this Christmas in Bannbridge in Bannbridge miles away In weather cold and windy when frost turn green grass gray She'll spend Christmas in Victoria lying in the Summer sun And though she may not realize it she is the lucky one. At Nashs Christmas party the booze and grub are free And the talk is of tree clearing and of how best to trim a tree But in this happy gathering I see one Homesick face And her thoughts are of a distant Land a cold and wetter place