Returning home
p. 32 · Read in the full issue
Written in New Guinea in 1943, by
L. J. Gomm
Returning home
The simple things will please me most; Lights incandescent, childish laughter, The dim-lit room with firelight softly glowing; The emerald velvet of a lawn close cropped And many-scented fragrance of a garden’s flowers.
Damask-white cloths, Rich-laden with the fare of home-cooked food; Clean floors, and pictures, dear, familiar, The cool embrace of sheets upon the bed; And music lulling too-wrought nerves to slumber, And heart’s-ease in the spirit of a Home. i Surf tossing waves Upon the glorious beaches, The grace of athletes on the sparkling sands; Good roads, with cottages beside them, And horses’ hooves light-touching grassy turf, With cattle grazing ’neath the setting sun.
The sweet companionship Of noble books; and quiet meditation, The undisturbed talk of friend with friend; The glint of humour, swift, unvenomed kindly, And dewy evening softening into twilight Illumined best by understanding—mutual love. 4 These give to me In place of hate and carnage; These we have fought for and we shall retain; Warm blood has flowed to guard them from destruction And men who longed to live have died— but not in vain.
For we shall build a grateful strong mosaic Of paths undangered for our children’s feet, A world where living each for other The sons of freedom in full brotherhood may meet.
Returning home The simple things will please me most, And I shall dearly prize them, deep regretting That such an earth must cost so great a price.
The Rev. C. J. and Mrs. Williams, of the Methodist Mission, Western Samoa, are at present in Melbourne. They are wait ing for transport to return to their work.
Territorians who were seen recently in Cairns included: Two Torres Straits pilots, Captain Ted Clay (late of Samarai) and Captain Campbell (late of BP’s and now carrying some scars caused by Jap bombing attacks); Bishop Strong, return ing to Samarai; Captain Bill Wilding, of the SS “Mangola”; Captain James Dun can, ex-Harbour Master, Rabaul; Mr. Ted Evans, who for many years worked with Mr. Tex Roberts in Rabaul; and Mr. G. H.
Ranson, a Namatanai (New Ireland), planter, who was recently liberated in Germany. Messrs. Evans and Hanson have made their homes permanently in Cairns.