The Leash

Something is happening there now I know it, I can hear the lane full Of children's voices, the lowing cow Tramples on the peanut hull, But not that, not that common routine And not the buckets sitting still On the kottas, nor Lawford in the ravine And his cart rumbling up the hill Not the blowing horn of the coming bus And children running from far away To reach the schoolhouse through the dust Before the bus passes them in delay Something is happening there, I know I can hear the dogs barking now And there among them my Benbow Midst sticks supplied by the wounded bough The mongoose will not escape today Melbourne is putting fire in the pingwing patch And I am here so far away Now that my hens can lay and hatch O deep in my blood, Jamaica is calling Her golden breast foams in the mouth of the sea And blue her mountains rise in the morning Deep in her arms I long to be.