![\"A](\"http:\/\/media.sbs.com.au\/news\/thm\/articlemain\/5520_bushfire-nsw-aap-large.jpg\")
<\/p>\nToday’s Daily Prompt asked for free associations with the words
\nhome, soil, rain.<\/p>\n
My home has not burnt down in the last few weeks, but several homes in south-east Australia have been in the path of merciless bushfires, and now some people have nowhere to lay their heads in peace.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Photo:\u00a0 A large 40,000 hectare bush fire is burning in the Warrumbungle National Park. Fires have destroyed more than 30 homes in New South Wales. (FILE:AAP)<\/p>\n
The soil in my yard is dry and a large crack has appeared in the ground at the side of the house.\u00a0 The lawn that grew in spring has died.\u00a0 In open farmland and bushy forest, the long grassy stalks are thirsty brown fire fuel.<\/p>\n In 1908 Dorothea Mackellar published a poem about this country, which many of us think of in weeks like these.\u00a0\u00a0 It’s called My Country<\/em> and is famous for its line ‘I love a sunburnt country’.\u00a0 A couple of later stanzas are on my mind:<\/p>\n Core of my heart, my country! But then the grey clouds gather, Core of my heart, my country! Over the thirsty paddocks, Today’s Daily Prompt asked for free associations with the words home, soil, rain. My home has not burnt down in the last few weeks, but several homes in south-east Australia have been in the path of merciless bushfires, and now some people have nowhere to lay their heads in peace. Photo:\u00a0 A large 40,000 hectare … <\/p>\n![\"Cracked](\"http:\/\/worth.id.au\/wish\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/crackedearth.jpg?w=750\")
<\/a>
\nHer pitiless blue sky,
\nWhen sick at heart around us,
\nWe see the cattle die –<\/p>\n
\nAnd we can bless again
\nThe drumming of an army,
\nThe steady soaking rain.<\/p>\n
\nLand of the Rainbow gold,
\nFor flood and fire and famine,
\nShe pays us back threefold –<\/p>\n
\nWatch, after many days,
\nThe filmy veil of greenness
\nThat thickens as we gaze…<\/p>\n![\"Dickson](\"http:\/\/worth.id.au\/wish\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/dicksonwetlands.jpg?w=750\")
<\/a>Rain will come again.\u00a0 It will fill the cracked earth, soften it and quench its thirst.\u00a0 Rain (and firefighters) will douse the uncontained fires still burning as I write.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"