although i'm not a man of god
i am a sort of caring bod
that likes to see the world at peace
and people living life in ease
working, playing, having fun
in pouring rain or burning sun
in the city or on an outback track
if you're yellow, white or black
if you've been here for forty thousand years
or left some other land in tears
it doesn't matter where you're from
australia welcomes every one
it is our land, one of extremes
of hopes of joys of lifetime dreams
and so it pleases me to see
when we all live in harmony
and harmony's a thing i find
each year around about this time
when everyone across the nation
joins in cammon celebration
of life, of friends, of family
of giving, sharing generously
it's the time that we like best
take time off work and have a rest
you wouldn't have to be a whizz
to guess what time of year that is
when we gather round a small pine tree
and spend time with the family
at christmas.

at christmas
everyone's nice to each other
everyone's high and on-one feels flat
i'm even nice to my little brother
although he's an agonising brat
at christmas.

uncle marlo speaks to aunt bessie
aunt flo speaks to her sister pat
and dad is nice to the neighbours
the dog is even nice to the cat
at christmas.

we all pile into the family car
and grandma puts on her hat
mum takes the presents, dad takes the beer
the kids take the cricket bat
at christmas.

we visit all the relatives
ring the ones interstate for a chat
i eat and i drink and i drink and i eat
no wonder i always get fat
at christmas.

my cousins are noisy and silly
and always engaged in combat
hyper on sweet things and bubbly drinks
i'm constantly untangling a spat
at christmas.

there's presents to give the rellies
and hundreds of gifts to unwrap
there's undies and socks and interesting toys
a book called the cat in the hat
at christmas.

here come those gnatty cousins again
boy, i wish that they'd scat
with whistles and hooters and sirens
and things that go rata-tat-tat
at christmas.

people all over australia
in kalgoorlie and ballarat
in kyogle, kuranda, and cygnet
in mount isa or mount gravatt
in a rainforest in northern queensland
or at bondi beech on a mat
living in an outback humpy
or in the city in a high rise flat
on top of mount kosciusko
or in a limestone cave with a bat
if you're a penniless pauper
or a well strapped aristocrat
a voter for the nationals or labor
the liberals or democrat
a postie, a doctor, a truckie, a nurse
an unemployed acrobat
a cook, a poet, a teacher, a clerk
or work in a laundromat
if stubbies and thongs are what you like
or if you prefer a fine silk cravat
if you shave your head, or wear a wig
or wear your hair in a plait
it doesn't matter who or what you are
or even where you are at
we all like to celebrate living
and there's no doubt about that....at christmas.

by Kupful