Winter In July

The sun shining bright in the blue and gray sky
But there is little warmth in the sun of July
Yet in the depths of the Winter of the southern year
The warbling of the magpies so pleasant to hear
The breeding frogs singing in the water filled drain
And the paddocks quite green after recent heavy rain
Six weeks before the first of the calendar Spring
Before most species of birds will mate nest and sing
Far more nutritious to them than silage or hay
On winter grass the cattle are doing quite okay
Of late the countryside has had sufficent rain
And the farmers with this feel no need to complain
The sun shining bright in the blue and gray sky
But a wintery chill in the air of July.