ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

ON THE RUN

When you’re running short of water and your throat is parched and dry.
When the track ahead is dusty and the air is thick with fly.
And the heat is overbearing and your water bag is low
and you know you need to hurry for there’s many miles to go.

You can hear the distant barking of those dogs back down the track,
you’re escaping from a mad man and you won’t be coming back.
Just because youd kissed his daughter was no cause for all this rot,
or to go and turn the dogs loose and then threaten you’ll be shot

And it really wasn’t my fault, please believe me this is true,
for this sheila had attacked me and she was a strong girl too.
Then her dad comes round the corner hissing wicked words of hate.
and the girl then screams it’s your fault; dad won’t listen or debate.

You can quickly see the danger so you grab a waterbag
and you make a dash for freedom, this is not the time to brag.
Soon the dogs are snapping at you and a bullet whistles near
and your trousers have been shredded with a big hole in the rear.

Now you’re battered and bedraggled, but at least you hope you're clear
and this working on a station’s not the life it may appear.
you’ll be looking for a new job far away from this darn spot
and there won’t be any sheila’s who may tempt you to their cot.


******
© T.E. Piggott 29/11/2010

Good one Terry. Very funny.

Heather

Thanks Heather,
Would have liked to spent a bit more time on it but though I was heading off for a few days so posted it now, but have just found out I'm not leaving until Wednesday, Might have a bit more of a fiddle with it later - well maybe.

Cheers Terry

Dad's Side of the Story.

When you've married orf five daughters - only one fish left ter fry-
livin' way out in the back-blocks, you don't let a chance go by.
When this young cove comes a'lookin' fer some grub an' 'onest work,
I sees me chance to off-load my last girl on this young turk.

Mum serves 'im up some tucker an' I shows 'im where ter doss.
Tells 'im "See yez at five-thirty". He sez "Righto! Thank yer Boss."
'Round dawn I sends off Charlene, who I've put wise to the plan,
an' she gives a country welcome to the unsuspectin' man.

I only waits five minutes 'fore I bursts into the shed
with me shotgun at the ready an' I hollers..."Dead or Wed?"
Well, the look on this young feller, standin' in 'is birthday suit...
thought e'd die of shock and 'orror, an' I'd 'ave no need ter shoot.

So I feels a bit remorseful an' I lowers down me gun,
but 'e only grabs 'is trousers an' 'e takes orf at the run.
I yells out "Hold fast, ya mongrel, or so 'elp me Gawd, I'll fire!"
But 'e shoots through like a Bondi Tram, 'eadin' for Balranald Shire.

Well, I'm far too old to chase 'im, so I lets me pig-dogs loose.
But the dust that bloke was raisin', I could see it weren't no use.
'E waz 'alf-way back ter Sydney, an' my girl would 'ave ter wait.
So I went an' 'ung the sign up, "Workers Wanted" on the gate.

Cheers Terry...Will.

Dang them country girls, they just get too friendly at times Terry.

Mmmmm the other side of the story.

Will as they say there are plenty more fish in the ocean to fry.


Psssst [Get her to use the hobbles next time]



The Storyteller.

A misspent youth Terry? (Or a wish that you had?)

Heather

One for the annual ABPA anthology?

Good one Will,
I can see we will have to do a collaborative one together one day, could be interesting!

G/day Merv,
Those country girls sure play for keeps, don't they.

Hi Heather,
You have to tread carefully, with station daughters, Jillaroo's, and Governesses. A couple of blokes who will remain nameless, got ordered off a station because they took the Governess into the Kookynie pub (100 ks away) one Sunday for a couple of beers. I wasn't one of them of course.

Cheers Terry

I never expected that you would be Terry - ever!

Sorry, i misread this second poem. I didn't realise Will wrote it. Boy, you too would be up to mischief together I reckon. A collaborative between you two would be very interesting - go on, get to it. It's the quiet ones you have to watch hey Will?

Heather