THE THREE DROVERS

“He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.” - Roy L. Smith

Despite the skeleton staff (including me!) around at work at the moment, the pace is still quick and there remain quite a few urgent things to finish off by the end of the week. I am still getting numerous emails every day and today was good because I was able to resolve two student issues that had escalated to me. Both issues required a little lateral thinking and a bit of common sense. Problems were solved and both students were more than happy with the outcome.

I went out at lunchtime today for some Christmas shopping and I could not believe the number of people in the shops. It was quite an effort to negotiate one’s way through the crowds and it was quite tiresome to wait in a queue to pay. I was glad to get back to work! The sun was out today and the modest increase in temperature was enough to make Melbournians sweat and become quite cranky. We were hankering after summer and now that the mercury rose to the mid-twenties we became rather short-tempered and cross!

Nevertheless, I enjoyed the lunchtime stroll and for the first time this year I became aware of the proximity of Christmas. The decorations and carols have been around fro a couple of months now, but it was only when I was shopping for Christmas gifts today that became conscious of the holiday atmosphere and of the festive mood. I guess having decorated the house last weekend also helped. Quite a few children were out with their mothers in the City today and their laughter and joyous cries as they looked at the Myer Christmas windows also drove home the message that on Saturday we celebrate Noël!

For Poetry Wednesday another Australian Carol by John Wheeler. I have also managed to find it on YouTube, so here it is, with wishes for a wonderful Christmas! It looks as though we may have hot weather for Chirstmas after all with temperatures expected to rise up to the high 20s or low 30s…

The Three Drovers

Across the plains one Christmas night,
Three drovers riding blythe and gay,
Looked up and saw a starry light,
More radiant than the Milky Way;
And on their hearts such wonder fell,
They sang with joy ‘Noel! Noel!’

The air was dry with Summer heat,
And smoke was on the yellow Moon;
But from the Heavens, faint and sweet,
Came floating down a wond’rous tune;
And, as they heard, they sang full well,
Those drovers three – ‘Noel! Noel!’

The black swans flew across the sky,
The wild dog called across the plain.
The starry lustre blazed on high,
Still echoed on the Heavenly strain;
And still they sang ‘Noel! Noel!’
Those drovers three. ‘Noel! Noel!’

John Wheeler

(Music by William G. James)