Tuesday, January 24th .....

I mentioned that we had a couple of friends here for a few days. They’re touring Tasmania in a caravan and have parked in the front yard before they head off today to Myrtle Park, one of our favourite spots in Tassie.

Geoff is a poet and he entertained us last night by reading a few of his poems. He has a terrific wit and a nice way of putting his ideas into words. I was inspired to try my hand and Geoff challenged me to write a poem about Grey Nomads. I went to bed with a line or two in my head and got up early this morning to flesh it out.

And here it is.

GREY NOMADS

When your days of toil are over and it’s time to take a break
There are options to consider and decisions you must make
For years you’ve spent each waking hour in trying to earn a crust
But now you’ve got to fill your days in case you turn to rust.

Perhaps it’s time to take up bowls or join a cycling club
Or learn to play the oboe or take refuge in the pub
Some take delight in reading books or watching DVDs
But I’m sure you’ll find you soon get tired of nothing more than these.

Some folks take up cruising on the ocean wide and blue
And you might think that could be fun but it might be boring too
Some learn to use the internet, work out the family tree
Others think it’s pretty smart to get one more degree.

Your house is worth a million and that’s a tidy sum
And you know the kids have worked it out, although they’re playing dumb
The grand-kids talk of Disneyland when Nan and Pop are dead
You’re worth more to them when you’re gone, a truth that must be said.

Each time they come to visit you, only once in a blue moon
You can see the dollar signs in their eyes and they think, Will it be soon?
They look at you to calculate how long you might survive
Yes, how much longer will you live, when you’re only sixty-five.

You know there’s just one answer to make your last years fun
Sell the house, buy a ‘van and let the good times run
Join the Nomad army, grab freedom on the road
No more wasted afternoons, no lawns to be mowed.

With your Cruiser and your Jayco, your days will be your own
You can drive or you can sit around, your worries will have flown
You can feel the joys of this brown land and see its very best
With new-made friends to pass the time and fill the hours with zest.

Live life as it was meant to be, with countless things to do
With every day a new delight and a new adventure too
There’s lots in this great country to make us shout and cheer
So pack your bags, hitch up the van - it’s off for another year.