by Viv Forbes, Executive Director, The Saltbush Club, ©2022
(Apr. 8, 2022) — It was a happy settlement
the people strong and free.
They tended flocks and tilled the soil
and fished upon the sea.
The north wind brought the raiders
with their swords and greedy eyes.
They stripped the land and left behind
a blight of funeral pyres.
“We must unite” the people said
“to beat these robber bands.
We’ll arm ourselves and train our men
to sweep them from our lands.”
T’was thus they formed a government
to save them from the foe.
It levied tax and raised the troops
and laid the looters low.
The system was a great success
and wealth grew all around.
The idle troopers then were used
to police the roads and towns.
Said thinkers from a foreign land
“You must assist the poor.
You orta get the government
to pass a welfare law.”
AORTA spread like smallpox germs
it raced down every road.
As every loafer raised his voice
“AORTA ease my load.”
“AORTA keep the prices down,
AORTA teach the kids,
AORTA start a dancing troop,
AORTA print the quids.”
Alas, AORTA has a sting,
a dreadful side effect.
It brings a rash of taxes
which the troopers must collect.
The troopers’ swords grew rusty
and the farms were filled with weeds.
The cities turned to hives of drones
whose product was “Free Feeds”.
But hungry eyes were watching still
the grim north wind did blow.
Soon bloated corpses filled the streets
“AORTA” laid them low.
Viv Forbes
Washpool, Qld, Australia