PAUL MACKAY

To the Memory of Stanislaw Blum

To give now today, gift tomorrow too
To give now today, gift tomorrow too
In the evening light you shone so bright
a candle light of hope

Back in 39 you were fighting for your homeland
Soon a prisoner until that harsh war’s end
Reconstruction, then, your home you left behind you
A young migrant to our South Australian shores.

And as far as I remember you never liked much to reveal
What you felt, be it sadness, be it joy
And I know your rule to be, a little vague so we could not see
But Stanislaw, we now wish, we knew you so much more

Now it’s possible to live life, an open generous gift
It’s possible to give and give much more
It’s possible to make a change and be the change and more
But Stanislaw, your secret gifts, were made behind closed doors

Back in 52 you were working Snowy Hydro
Soon an engineer with love of arts and friends
In construction then, but in humble home, we find you
A quiet and noble life on our Australian shores.

And through all those years, writing gifts and sending
Greetings, food and help and so much more
In that photograph your old Holden there you’re standing
Your joy of giving, builds our hope- now Stanislaw

To give now today, gift tomorrow too
To give now today, gift tomorrow too
In the evening light you shone so bright
a candle light of hope

Paul Mackay receiving his diploma from Ernestyna Skurjat-Kozek at Cooma Centennial Park, 20th April 2008. Photo Puls Polonii

A song by Paul Mackay performed by him during the official opening of Mound & Mt Kosciuszko Festival in Jindabyne, 19th April 2008

Ancient Dreamtime

The mountains of south-east Australia have a unique history. For many thousands of years, aborigines of “many nations” converged on the mountains. This was a place of special material and spiritual bounty as the mountains provided the rich delicacy of the bogong moths and the spirit of place and being.

Winds whisper upon melting snows
Casting spells upon the mountains
The dreamtime touching flowers
To bloom in layers on the slopes.

Tribes are moving from the plains
To wait and gather by the mountains
As elders follow flowers
To the cool rocky places on the slopes

Spells of ancient dreamtime
Spells of life, spells of dreaming
Touch new visions of life and living
In our land

Campfires, singers, dancers
And the chanters and the drummers
Pipers whisper spirit air through reeds
As the night life sings and calls

A time of gifting, time of giving
Hear the lullabies and singing
Bogong moth under southern cross
In the cool rocky places on the slopes

Since ancient time life gives life
Cast and spelt on Snowy Mountain stands
And our nation returning to the plains
Must know and give our thanks

Paul and his group performing in Jindabyne

Another song by Paul Mackay

Strzelecki

Not enough can be said of Sir Paul Strzelecki. His sense of adventure, exploration, knowledge and environmental foresight is vibrant and awe inspiring today. His skills, intelligence, humanity and love give him a key position in the building and heritage of our nation. In writing the words of this song I imagined Strzelecki on Mount Townsend having travelled such a distance from Poland and the feeling of love for the one he left in Poland within the vastness of the mountains.

Adrift broken lover’s plans
Wandering through many lands
Searching to fill this loss
In searching you gave

And upon Mount Townsend
By the everlasting snow
I cradle for you these flowers untouched
Flowers of love, flowers of freedom
Flowers of honour
In the silence of this sacred place

And from this vision seen
I call that you build and dream
And from this towering land
this heart is for hope

And every friend of freedom
Friend that honours love
Friends who search to give
Your name Kosciuszko

The Strzeleckis from Cooma, Adelaide and Poznan under the Strzelecki Monument in Jindabyne, 19th April 2008. With Lajkonik Ensemble in the upper row. Photo Puls Polonii