Poem 7 of 230:  RECENT HISTORY

There’s a place called Sovereign Hill
    (Nigh the city of Ballarat),
With gold-rush representations -
    And they’re authentic ones at that.

You can pan for gold at the creek,
    Write some lines with inkwell and quill,
See bread baked the colonial way
    Or a blacksmith at his anvil.

There’s a (pre-plastics) bowling lane
    (With everything made in wood),
A painted-photo studio,
    And two hotels built as they stood.

Visit the timber cottages
    (Via front-gardens of the day),
Read-up on mining history,
    Or watch costumed-revellers play.

And, just beside the “old” village,
    Should you decide to see some more,
There’s homely accommodation;
    But heed - Kooris came long before.

(C) David Franks 2003 - https://walkaboutsverse.blogspot.com