Poem touches heart of many
AFTER seeing the devastation of the Northwest Queensland flooding disaster, Patrick Scharf put pen to paper.
The Charters Towers man spent a few days helping a mate west of Richmond.
When he returned home he crafted an emotive poem that reads as an ode to local chopper pilots.
His prose has now gone viral. These are his words:
ANGELS IN THE SKY
You hear that sound a flapping, way out in the west
You spot the robby chopper, your heart beats in your chest
For you’re stranded on an island, with water all around
Lots of your stock have been washed away, lots more have bloody drowned.
He flies around the house and sheds, then gently sets it on the ground
He sits there for a minute, composes himself, to tell you what he’s found.
You see that look there in his eyes, the look of utter shock, and of distress
The haunted look, quivering lips, but he’s holding it together, doing his best.
He said he’s seen about 40 steers, out there on higher ground
But we better sling some hay to them, for by morning they mightn’t be around.
The owner of the station, who has battled through the drought,
Asked if he’s sure there’s no others alive, even further out.
The pilot puts his hands together, a teary eye looks to the ground,
“I’m sorry mate, that’s all there is, for I’ve flown all around.
The wife, she starts to cry, husband doesn’t make a sound
The pilot gets on the radio, to see what hay there is around.
Half an hour, you hear again, that flapping in the west, Two 44s with precious loads, two bales slung in their nets.
The pilot gives them directions, where to find that tiny mob,
Said he would stay here on the ground, as behind him, the wife still sobs.
The pilot stays for over an hour, doing whatever he can,
A quiet word here, his presence there, or just a gentle hand.
These pilots were not trained for this, when they all learned to fly,
But now they have a new nickname, they are “OUR ANGELS IN THE SKY”.