The Dukw's Gone Down

[Glen Hughes]

1 - The DUKW’s gone down!!

We lived through a ship wreck,
we sunk an Army Dukw,
the outcome could have been much worse,
but that day was in luck!! wind and waves had washed us up,
the shoreline told the story,
and even after all these years,
we still re-live the glory.

Seventy four was the big one,
a record year of rain,
the Monsoons headed South, and, down - she - came!!
inch by inch recorded, smiles turned in to frowns,
the in-lands going under, isolation all around.

Eyre’s Lake over flowing, never seen before by man,
North Lake in to South Lake, Kati Thanda, Marree Man,
30 feet of water,
roads and rail were washed away,
and stations split by oceans, innovations to the Frey.

An army Dukw was ordered, recommissioned from the war,
to ferry goods and chattel, out to Jack - Boot - Bore.
Six wheel drive, flotation, she was soon put to the test,
Traversing land and water, she could mix it with the best.

Drums of fuel and fire wood,
taken over load by load,
traversing corrugations, over two wheel tracks, for roads,
branding irons and saddles and a half a ton of hay,
the last load that she carried, still talked about today.

Half a k across the bay, something went amiss,
with bilge pumps at their maximum,
the Dukw began to list!!
the captain yelled out to his mate, I think she’s going down,
jump and swim as hard as hell, or we’ll both be bloody drowned!!

Water gushed in o’re the stern, the bow was lifting high
In 20 foot of water, death was surely nigh,
the captain jumped to save his skin, but his mate just stood there thinking!! and grabbed a wool pack with his feet, as the Dukw was quickly sinking.

The mate was now in panic, and was trying to kick and paddle, determined not to drop his pack, in which he’d packed his saddle!! Anything that was floatable, was now within arms reach,
he grabbed on to a tyre and rim, we drifted to the beach.

Exhausted on arrival, as soon as feet touched ground,
he dragged his pack up on the shore, and this is what he found!!
as the Dukw was sinking, amongst all the foam and fizz,
the pack contained a saddle, but alas it wasn’t his!!

We lived through a ship wreck, we sunk an Army Dukw,
the outcome could have been much worse,
but that day was in luck!! wind and waves had washed us up,
the shoreline told the story,
and even after all these years,
we still re-live the glory.

Glen Hughes ©

[Shelley Hansen]

Welcome to the forum Glen! Please feel free to tell us a bit about yourself.

You’ve started off with a good yarn. Looking forward to more …

Cheers
Shelley

[Glen Hughes]

Hi Shelley, goodness, where do I start!!, I’m a jack of all, and master of some. I was born and bred on a station, “Muloorina”, on the shores of Lake Eyre, and have experienced so much. I have just entered slow down, and have started to document my “life well lived”, in to poetry. Easiest job I’ve had so far and I am enjoying immensely. Cheers, Glen

[Shelley Hansen]

Hi Glen

Well, I'm sure we can all relate to the documenting of our lives and thoughts into poetry. There's no better medium! Looking forward to more ...

Cheers
Shelley