perfectly pretty
perfectly shy
little girl from the dryland
wonderin' why
there's no trees on the south side
to stop that howlin' wind
little girl from the dryland
only the creaky weatherboards
painted the milky green
keepin' that scary world outside
it's bangin' on the windows
blowin' the washin' off the line
callin' out for that little girl on the dryland
two older brothers
y' sister and you
one little nipper
another one due
hiding under the homestead
when strangers come along
father out on the wheatfield
you hide the whisky
but then what for?
your father is awake to you
but you are 'protector'
and your mother always knew
you wondered why you were born
out on a wheatfield
you know there is much more to life
than sky and endless plains
your father told you stories of the war
of singapore and paris
and how you long to go
but you are young
and stuck out on the dryland