'On a Cattle Track' Summary

"On a Cattle Track" is a poem by Henry Kendall that captures the harsh beauty of the Australian bush. The poem follows six horses and their riders as they race across the desert in search of water. The horses are driven by desperation, their riders blinded by the sun and the heat. The poem is a powerful depiction of the struggle for survival in the Australian outback.

The horses and their riders are driven by desperation. They are running out of water, and they know that if they do not find more soon, they will die. The poem describes the horses as being "fleeting" and "dash[ing] down the creek courses". The riders are "blinded by the sun and the heat", and they are "terror of thirst in their eyes".

The poem reaches a climax when the horses and their riders reach a mirage. The mirage is a pool of water, but it is only an illusion. The horses and their riders stop to drink, but they soon realize that the water is not real. The poem ends with the horses and their riders continuing on their journey, still in search of water.

"On a Cattle Track" is a powerful poem that captures the harsh reality of life in the Australian outback. The poem is a reminder that even in the most difficult of circumstances, there is always hope for survival. The horses and their riders are symbols of resilience and determination. They are willing to risk everything to reach water, even in the face of overwhelming odds. The poem also suggests that even in the harshest of environments, there is always beauty to be found. The landscape described in the poem is harsh, but it is also beautiful in its own way. The poem is a celebration of the Australian bush, and it is a reminder that even in the most difficult of places, there is always hope.