Tracks covered

grading the river bed erases the direction of past water flows

unnatural sand movements on this ephemeral river 

is it caring for country?

with fat tire-treads compacting dry river bed sand

the tree roots are covered again with a manufactured tsunami of sand

pushed by the golden metal god, of earth-moving

fake, smooth passages appear along the riverbed

What is covered?

footprints and paw tracks erased from the frolicking urban pets

desire paths cutting across the sand expanse

the marks from the late night fights 

hiding the charcoal from early afternoon fires 

cooking hot and quick, the warmth appreciated in winter's dying light

covering the tire tracks of the night patrol that drive

the fine line between enforcing the 'no camping' rules and safety 

bird tracks, coming to the tree-root ponds for water

long after evaporation and soakage holes swallow the moisture 

soft indentations of the snake and lizard

moving from grass stump to long grass hideout

scraping clean the muddy footprints from children

playing in the water after large rain events

whose stories do you bury under the guise of maintenance

or preparing an expected vista for visitors

running a boat competition, a pirate move of raising money

 

the grader tracks lead away past the school and the houses 

past the last streetlight, the weak yellow glow

the last tent camp and the sign

National Park, don't feed the dingos