Remember This

Remember this?

Remember when the air thrummed with gossiping birds, when hidden insects cried farewell to the dying dusk and trees tremored in anticipation of rain that never came?

Now the air hangs

stale 

stagnant

suspended above dust and memories.

Remember this?

Remember when snakes scrawled love notes to the red earth, their lazy, looping letters weaving through fallen leaves and abandoned ant holes, shamelessly crosshatching their passionate confessions into soft clay?

Now their messages lie

dead 

forgotten 

buried alive under layers of dust and memories.

Remember this?

Remember when firelight painted pictures on the old, gnarled redgums, sending shadows skittering across the rocky ground as sparks ascended to join the stars?

Now the land is

still 

silent

smoke the only reminder

of a place once lit

by a thousand dancing lights.