Of True Minds

..........
I am Australian

I came from the dreamtime from the dusty red soil plains I am the ancient heart, the keeper of the flame I stood upon the rocky shore I watched the tall ships come For forty thousand years I'd been the first Australian.

I came upon the prison ship bowed down by iron chains. I cleared the land, endured the lash and waited for the rains. I'm a settler. I'm a farmer's wife on a dry and barren run A convict then a free man I became Australian.

I'm the daughter of a digger who sought the mother lode The girl became a woman on the long and dusty road I'm a child of the depression I saw the good times come I'm a bushy, I'm a battler I am Australian.

We are one, but we are many And from all the lands on earth we come We share a dream and sing with one voice: I am, you are, we are Australian I am, you are, we are Australian.

I'm a teller of stories I'm a singer of songs I am Albert Namatjira I paint the ghostly gums I am Clancy on his horse I'm Ned Kelly on the run I'm the one who waltzed Matilda I am Australian.

I'm the hot wind from the desert I'm the black soil of the plains I'm the mountains and the valleys I'm the drought and flooding rains I am the rock, I am the sky The rivers when they run The spirit of this great land I am Australian.

We are one, but we are many And from all the lands on earth we come We share a dream and sing with one voice: I am, you are, we are Australian I am, you are, we are Australian.

..........

This is not Australia's national anthem but it is a patriotic alternative capable of pulling at heart strings.

We said goodbye to Australia this week, our heart strings have been pulled.

I just keep reminding myself of the stationary I bought in China that said- 'don't be sad it is over, be glad it happened'.

Cheers Australia, thanks for such a spectacular experience.