The Lay of the Land

START The Lay of the Land Sophie Boswell The lay of the land in the Snowy Mountains Where a blue serpent slides and creates icy fountains Is a picture in my mind, so vivid, so clear And one that will always remain dear The cerulean blue sky that colors the earth And together with the sun, brings about birth To all the mountain creatures that manage to survive Where, quite often, humans fail to thrive You need to be tough to live up here Tough in body and mind, that is, and free from fear You need to know the lay of the land From the tip of the mountain to the river sand And should you get lost on a day out trekking Which I can assure you, can be nerve wrecking Since these hills and mountains are riddled with snakes And there is no fresh water when away from the lakes But by understanding the lay of the land; Which way the wind blows, by licking your hand; Being well prepared to hike the new trails, And praying to the Spirit if all else fails. END