“For John Franklin, Lieutenant-Governor of Van Dieman’s Land in the 1840s, a trip to the West Coast was a welcome respite from the political jungle of Hobart Town. A contrast that has more recent reverberations.” KF, 1990
A winding path has led us here From Derwent to Arrowsmith’s quartz grey peak Lowering forest and sodden heath Aching bones and rattling teeth The clouds above, the earth beneath Leaving the world behind.
And all this way the forest’s hush No barking dog nor settler’s axe Just the cry of a cockatoo Or rarer still, a kangaroo In the groves that the sorrowing native knew All trace of him is gone.
And the rain falls down on Franklin’s river So much that the water and air are one Watercolour hues and a fragile beauty Free from the restless hand of man.
Now on the shining river’s side We lie in Eden’s innocent vale The serpent glides but the fruit is free Of poisoned word or traitor’s creed Of envy’s leer or careless greed Like Man before The Fall.
And the rain falls down on Franklin’s river So much that the water and air are one Watercolour hues and a fragile beauty Free from the restless hand of man.
Ken Ferguson, 1990. From his 1997 CD “Basic Blue”. (the late) Ken, along with Tony Phipps, wrote a “Folk Opera” concerning Tasmanian Governor John Franklin, which was performed in Perth, WA, but unfortunately I have not yet located any more info about this project - (nor his others) - online. I posted here on March 5th, “Alice on the Line” from his and Bloodwood’s project “The Singing Wire”.