top of page
Writer's pictureJulian Barrett

The Drought

Updated: Feb 28, 2020

An absurd post-apocalyptic western song about a man and his camel.

Tây Trâus lyrics book. Mixed media. Ink on paper with beer stains, footprint.



The Drought

Lyrics by Julian Barrett


Ash motes on the main drag.

My camel looked forlorn and said;

“I’m dead.”

And so I looked around

At this blasted wasteland

And I left him for the birds

On the rust-stained sand

Emaciated mynah birds

Were parched on power lines

Three weeks traversing a dry

And lonely lake bed

And it was cocktail time


I came upon an old tin shed

The sign said saloon

And another smaller sign said

“Coming Soon”

So I spoke to the manager, I said;

“Which way’s the beach?”

Well he just grinned at me and said;

“It’s under your feet.”


Well those were last words that he spoke

I saw incendiary kites and smoke

And the sky turned the colour of Campari

And filled with corroded drones from the army

I got down and gripped the sand

And there were iron crosses and iphones

Running through my hands

And hand drawn death notices

And student debt notices

And an underlying sense of hopelessness

So I turned heel and fled

Back to my lake bed

And grabbed the reins of my camel and said;

“I’ll tow you instead.”


11 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page