Sitting out writing,
just the thing.
Ah, there's a sting,
or rather a bite -
quite, quite.
I imagine few Aussies would do this;
maybe only a Pom could rue this
business of being eaten alive,
on the verandah suffering for a rhyme,
part-time.
And then I half wonder if at night
the odd spider isn't taking a bite
from my shoulder and back -
something is having a snack.
More likely Malcom the March fly* yesterday
bit through worn Levis on knees,
for a wheeze,
but through woollen shirt in his horsefly-play?
Anyway, let anything get through Hard Yakka
and a Piping Hot corduroy jacket, Akubra
covering balding tonsure
just to be sure.
I look like a Pom right enough -
chrysalis in spring, well, tough.
And what does rhyme better with alive,
than, 'Mite, the setuation's grive?'
No, not at all. In Oz I should say,
'No worries!' grin,
and keep coating
band-aids* with manuka* day by day.
....................
*March-flies here are a kind of horsefly of the family Tabanidae. What UK calls March-flies are of the order Bibionidae are not a horsefly and don't bite.
*What the UK calls 'elastoplasts' (or just plasters - short for the functional older name of sticking-plasters) Aus calls 'band-aids', both popular names taken from popular brands. I don't know re the USA on this issue.
*That's medical grade manuka honey. For some reason, Australia has banned topical (cream) anti-histamines, which we use as first resort in our high summer when a few mozzies might be about. Here they get out early in spring, it seems, but I am told don't last the summer. There is 'Stingose' with aluminium (aluminum- USA) sulfate, I am now informed.
