ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

The third stanza gets me Ron, oh how many times I poured my heart out to old Rusty when I was in trouble as a kid...I am sure he understood too...

Yep, know the feeling Ross, that was written from experience! Common thread there too, had a ''Rusty'' as well, she was a brown Border Collie with a bit of Kelpie thrown in, and yep she had sympathetic ears!
Cheers Mate
Ron

G/day Ron

You have touched the heart string of many dog lovers - no doubt about that.
And as you rightly mention losing your mate is often like losing a member of the family.
I know blokes who took their dog prospecting for company; but that was a dangerous thing to do,
as the goldfields are littered with baits and many dogs suffered that fate.
For that reason I never took a dog with me; in fact I tried to discourage friends from taking theirs.
I've seen blokes shattered by the loss of their mate, and it's such a cruel death as well.
I have written a poem about one of the episodes I personally know about - it was just so sad.

Terry

Thanks Terry,
I remember as a kid how anyone who baited dogs, was classed as one of the lowest forms of human life that walked the earth. Luckily never experienced it first hand, but heard enough about the excruciating deaths they could cause. And can appreciate what those blokes you mentioned would have gone through!
Cheers mate,
Ron.