Right then you blokes. Seeing as the poem I wrote and performed before the Cardiff Test went down so well, Ricky has asked me to once again lead the group in our pre-match ‘Aw Look, What Does The Baggy Green Mean To You, Mate?’ discussion. I’ve done another poetry that I’d like to share with you and it’s about the magnificent bird of my home state.

No, Sidds, I’m not talking about that Melissa George bird that was on Home And Away. I’m talking about The Black Swan, the emblem of Western Australia.

Katich, the house lights. if you please.

Look. Look. A magnificent black swan, floating magnificently.

But underneath the water

They do not see

The incredible commitment and awesome

Will to win

For years, an ugly duckling it was thought to be

But then the whole country could see

Once it was allowed to spread its wings

That it was massively focused and had

An enormous appetite

And the world did cower before it

So mighty that they dared not speak

Its true name

And instead knew it only

As Mr Cygnet

But then the dark forces

Of constant migration, injury and sheer bad luck

Lead to some pretty ordinary paddling for a bit

And the other birds began to question

The Black Swan’s right to occupy the middle of the river

But the Swan flapped its magnificent wings again

And I have heard it said

That they can break your arm

With one flap

And also that the Queen can eat them if she wants

But the swan would not be distracted

By the colonial masters of old

It vowed not to be eaten by Her Majesty The Queen

And flew into the sunset

Green and gold

And so then the swan soared above us

Uttering its magnificent swan-ish cries

The other birds knew what they meant

That form is temporary

But class is permanent

by Alan Tyers