ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

As usual, I have hard acts to follow - but when in doubt, use a true story for inspiration! I have changed the names and embellished the details somewhat, but this really happened recently to friends of ours who live on a rural property not far from us. And yes, the ending is totally factual!

THE CHASE
(c) Shelley Hansen 26/2/2021

The kids were tasked with homework. Mum and Dad had gone to town,
and Jennifer, aged seventeen, tried hard to settle down
her brothers, Tom and Angus, who were itching for release
from indoor books and pencils, and refused to keep the peace.

Then Thomas, from the window, cried, “Hey Jen, the calf’s got out!”
“You’re joking!” Jen replied. “I’m not!” he answered with a shout.
And sure enough, a glance around the paddock plainly showed
the calf had slipped the barbed wire fence and headed for the road.

The breeze disturbed the grasses painted gold and parchment white.
They wondered if a snake had passed and given him a fright.
His mum was grazing peacefully along the lower run
among the samphire bushes glowing red beneath the sun.

Young Jennifer said, “I’m in charge! The situation’s grim.”
But Angus, four years younger, thought the leader should be him!
So Angus looked belligerent, and stood with folded arms
as if he’d spent a lifetime raising cattle out on farms.

But Jen ignored his antics and she ran to get the ute.
“We’re chasing him,” crowed Thomas. “Hey Jen, wait for me! That’s beaut!”
But Angus, quite perversely, set off running on his own.
“Next thing we’ll have him lost as well,” said Jenny with a moan.

The ute had seen much better days, quite coloured-up with rust.
It bounced along the country road amid a cloud of dust.
Its bulbar was adorned with water bags made out of skin,
and sugar bags made up for where upholstery was thin.

They searched the roads for miles around, but couldn’t find a trace
from way up on O’Leary’s farm to down on Casey’s place.
An acrid smell soon told them they had reached the local hub –
where fluttered wisps of smoke were rising from the country pub.

They turned for home quite sombre – dreading what their Dad might say.
The calf was worth too good a price to let him get away.
Arriving home, they found that Angus too had given up.
He lay exhausted. “Any luck?” asked Jen. He murmured, “Nup.”

Then as they all bemoaned a task that turned out way too hard,
the calf came trotting calmly right across the farmhouse yard!
As Jen said, “Little toad! I know what I should do to you …”
it paused and looked right at them with a cheeky answer … “MOO!”

Love this, Shelley – especially as it’s a true story. I can just imagine the scene, and it really brings a smile - plus of course, it is written with your wonderful gift for precise rhyme and metre as always. Well done!

Thanks Catherine! Really appreciate your positive comments, as always!

Love it, love it, love it - and absolutely can imagine this happening - little animals are pesky critturs and get into all kinds of mischief just like little kids.
That last line is a pearler Shelley ... cheeky little toad isn't he . But so hard to not love them.

You put all the prompts to excellent use as well - a terrific write.

Thanks Maureen, that is high praise indeed!

Since this episode our friends have told us that one of the calf's favourite pastimes is to wait until their pet rooster is perched on the paddock gate, and then calmly walk up and use his nose to push the rooster off! He's a character, all right!

G/day Shelley

I was also a young brother and no doubt was a bit of a terror for my sister Shirley to put up with.
I know I tried to run her over once with my pedal car.

A good story told well - but yours always are.
You made pretty good use of the prompts as well.

Cheers

Terry

Thanks Terry!

Sounds like Shirley was a long-suffering sister!

Good story Shelley, and in particular being based on a real happening!
And I had no problems at all in picturing that image in the last line.
Well done,
Ron.

Thanks so much Ron - and lovely to see you back on the Forum!