Renovating Dave

[Hully]

Bit of fun - turned this out for a coupe at the pub....

Renovating Dave

You would have to get up early to catch her off her guard,
She is just about as ‘switched on’ as they come.
It appears as though, to her, there’s no job to big or hard,
She is ‘publican’ to most, and ‘friend’ to some.
The Old Royal Hotel - known as the 'Port of Bourke'
Has new carpet and a new way to behave,
New furniture and fittings, but her finest piece of work
Is what she’s done with Renovating Dave.

Dave is from the ‘inside’ but his home is in the West,
On a block that is as hard as it is rough.
A scrubby little holding that’s a ‘struggle block’ at best,
Where whoever takes it on will do it tough.
And ‘take it on’ he has – rather it has taken him,
For he works at it’s improvement like a slave.
And you’d have to match that gusto with more than just a whim
If you took the job of Renovating Dave.

Hard weeks turn into years for a man fighting the scrub,
Working day and night and rarely seeing town.
Just appearing, on occasion, at the little outback pub,
Where his bushy beard and hair could be let down.
He became a sort of legend for his big generous heart,
Being honest and as true as he was brave.
But, taken as a project, you would not know where to start,
If you had to think of Renovating Dave.

For his land was rough and scrubby – and Dave matched it well,
It was like he had been formed up from the dirt
comprised of beard and hair, diesel, dust, sweat (and smell)
And more inclined to ‘singlet’ than to ‘shirt’.
But a job has to start somewhere so she rolled up her sleeve,
And got the process rolling with a shave.
And when the chin (and grin) emerged – the doubters could believe,
That she had a chance of Renovating Dave.

She made-over his clothing like a country fashion show,
tackling every obstacle in her path.
Manners, care and cleanliness became the status quo,
(And she set a regular schedule for a bath).
Like all good renovations some things should stay unmoved,
With a keen eye for the bits you want to save.
So ‘Dave’ has stayed intact - just cosmetically improved
In the process known as Renovating Dave.

Because she loved a challenge and because the chance was there,
She took a ten year lease on the hotel,
And she’s renovating that with the same level of care,
(And renovating Dave’s bush shack as well.)
She’s a host, a boss, a barmaid, and not just a pretty face,
And she sells the stuff that thirsty punters crave.
You could call her lots of things – we just call her ‘Trace’
And her finest work – is Renovating Dave.

h

[manfredvijars]

Hahahaha ... great twist in the dismount ...
Top job Hully ...

[Bob Pacey]

And i reckon they would have loved it Hully. Hey a couple said gidday the other week in the park . They had been to one if your shows. I call this personalised poetry good stuff.

[Catherine Lee]

Brilliant read to return to after my wanderings! Really enjoyed this poem Hully - thank you for the smiles this morning!

[Hully]

Thanks all.
Bob - I have had, I think, 3-4 occasions where people have asked if I knew you, and had been (or were going to) your show ! - You were universally praised I just love the word of mouth that gets around with that crew...

h

[Heather]

I like your sense of humour and the characters in your poem Andrew. A fun read and I reckon it would have gone down well in the local pub.

Heather

[Terry]

Great yarn Hully

My wife has spent a large part of her life trying to renovate me as well.

Terry