~~ 388 ~~

~~~ A Decent Bloody Feed ~~~

Me mind was pretty hazy
And, I was gettin' pretty lazy,
Since I'd gone, and lost me flamin' lovin' wife,
And I was gettin' awful thin
'Cos, there weren't no bickies in the tin
And I couldn't cook a feed to save me life.

I was in a desperate need
Of a decent bloody feed,
Since, me missus and me mate have both shot through,
And the cupboards they are bare
Since they buggered off those pair,
And I really didn't know just what to do.

Then I met this flamin' joker,
(He was a flamin' smoker),
And he told me 'bout this place out in the scrub,
Where a bloke could have a rest
And get treated like a guest,
And get himself a decent plate of grub.

So I went to have a look,
A flamin' captain's cook,
And there it was with all a man could want,
There was a big long line,
Of men, underneath that sign,
That said, this is the famous "Bushmen's Restaurant".

And the bloke what's on the door,
He gave out a mighty roar,
"It's the place where all the bushmen come to eat
And you'd better bloody hurry
'Cos, there's braised steak and there's curry,
And the kangaroo is pretty hard to beat".

"And we get the snakes and fry'em
So, you'd better bloody try 'em
'Cos, a bit of snake it goes down pretty well,
And the lizard lookin' good
'Cos, they're smoked with sandal wood
And the porcupine tastes really flamin' swell".

So if you ever have the need,
Of a proper flamin' feed,
Come with me, and I'll show you where it's at,
You have to be polite,
And you ain't allowed to fight,
But you are allowed to wear ya' flamin' hat.

October 4, 2000

~~ 389 ~~

~~~ Here's Another Story ~~~

Now here's another story
'Bout, that bushmen's place of glory,
That famous place "The Bushmen's Restaurant",
Where a man can get a feed
And, what ever else he needs,
It's got everything a man could ever want.

You can never bring ya' wife,
It'll only cause ya' strife,
And the cook will bar ya' from that famous place.
'Cos, he was married to a dame,
That had only bought him shame,
And he had to leave his town a big disgrace.

'Cos, she nagged him just like crazy,
Till his brain went kinda' hazy,
And he did his block and lost his flamin' quince.
'Cos she never shut her trap,
Until his mind just sorta' snapped,
And he hasn't seen another woman since.

So, no women are allowed
In his tucker eating crowd,
There ain't a shelia that's alive that can come in.
Only men can eat the grub
In his exclusive eating club,
'Cos, women are what makes a fella' sin.

You had better take his heed,
If you're lookin' for a feed
That will melt, just like magic in ya' mouth.
'Cos, there's not a city or a town,
That's makes a better feed around
In the West or the North or East or South.

October 5, 2000

~~ 391 ~~

~~~ The West Australian Rider ~~~

"The Man From Snowy River" he came ridin' into town'
Lookin' for that rider, that want's to take his crown.
He only knew that fella' had come from way out west,
And he'd come to prove to all around, he was the flamin' best.

"The Man From Snowy River", he came chargin' through the door,
To find that western rider a'sleepin' on the floor
And his Snowy River rider's had come from near and far,
To join, the man from Snowy River inside that local bar.

It was the man from Ironbark, he was the first to speak,
He ask the barman if that bloke, was the one that they did seek.
The barman hesitated, then, scratched his head and said,
"That's him for sure fair dinkum', but be careful how ya' tread.

He's ridden from the western coast just to teach you fella's how,
To ride down them there mountains, but ya' see he sleepin' now!
And he said for me to tell ya's, that as soon as he's awake,
He'll ride backwards down those mountains, with a thousand quid at stake".

The Snowy River rider's just scoffed and laughed and said,
"That crazy western rider will only end up dead, 'cos,
There ain't a man alive today who can make that famous ride,
But to ride it bloody backwards his brains they must be fried".

The barman stood his western friend and said, " You bloke you'd best beware,
He's the only man I've ever seen, break a fifteen year old mare,
He's comes from up the Kimbley's in the north of double u a,
And he's rid cross the Simpson, in only half a day.

He use ta' muster crocodile's on the Fitzroy and the Ord,
And he roped a thirty footer with a bit of clothe line cord.
Then he rode it to a stand still, till it give up the ghost,
And he told me he's just not the type, who likes to flamin boast.

He said he went to Egypt, for, a contract cuttin' wood,
At a place they call Sahara, that's where the timber stood,
And he cut it clean of timber, then he grubbed out all the stumps,
But he left a mob of palm trees, around water holes in clumps.

Then he went musterin' wombats on the famous treeless plains,
And he straightened up the railway line to make it safer for the trains,
The Nulabour is safer now for those marvelous deeds he done,
But he never asked for payment 'cos, he done it all in fun.

Now he's come to Kosciusko where the reed beds sweep and sway,
And he'll teach, you Snowy River riders a few new games to play,
'Cos, there's not a mountain high enough or a valley that's too deep,
That can hide, from that western rider when he wakes for out his sleep".

So, they waited at the summit for that western rider bloke,
And they talked a bit, and laughed a bit, at their Kosciusko jokes.
Far off in the distance the western rider makes his way,
Towards those Snowy River riders to teach them how to play.

He met them on the summit just as the daylight fell,
And the Snowy River riders gave out a welcoming yell,
They told him he'd be welcome to camp with them tonight,
Because tomorrow mornin', we just might have to fight.

They camped inside a cabin, right on the ridges' spur,
And they asked the western rider which bed he did prefer,
But the western rider he replied, "Only weak men used a bed",
So he rolled his sway outside that shack, and slept in the snow instead.

At four o'clock next mornin' he had the billy on,
And he woke those Snowy River riders with a western riders song.
He'd had their breakfast cookin', on a bit of rustin' steel,
And they all agreed, both man and boy it was a bonzer meal.

Then the western river ride said, "It's time to have that ride,
Where's "The Man From Snowy River"," that western rider cried.
But "The Man From Snowy River" he was nowhere to be seen,
He had made himself as scarce, as Henry's missing Queen,

The Snowy River riders went searching high and low,
'Cos they knew "The Man From Snowy River" was never gunna' show.
And when they finally found him, he was hidin' drinkin' beer,
And "The Man From Snowy River" he was shakin' just with fear,

He knew he couldn't beat that bloke that came from double u a,
So he hid himself inside the pub and said, that's where he's gunna' stay.
That western Aussie rider he went and done that ride,
But nobody ever saw it, 'cos they couldn't swallow pride,

And now around those mountains in that clear and crystal air,
It's never even mentioned and nobody even cares.
"The Man From Snowy River" couldn't live with all his shame,
So he up and moved to Sydney and even changed his name.

His horse got sold for pet food, it's in tins of chunkie pal,
And "The Man From Snowy River", is the tale that no one tells.
No one can tell that tale 'cos, everybody that lived there knew,
That, "The Man From Snowy River" was a yarn that wasn't true.

October 7, 2000

~~ 393 ~~

~~~ Zucchini's ~~~

Some people love good tucker, and other just like crap,
Some people love canned beer, others like it from the tap.
And when it comes to veggies, some eat the flamin' lot,
But me! I'm sort's picky 'cos, sometimes I lose the plot.

I hate those Chinese veggies that are on the market shelf.
I wish that they would take 'em and keep 'em to there're self.
Those eggplants and zucchinis they say they're good for you,
They cut 'em up and hide 'em, in their stir-fries and their stew.

But the worst of all's zucchini's, those cucumber lookin' things,
They taste like rotting cardboard and bits of mouldy string.
They're long and green and yucky and there's yellow ones as well,
And when they flamin' cook them, they really flamin' smell.

And each time you have a flamin' feed, in a restaurant or a pub,
Ya' always pickin' lumps of it from out ya flamin' grub.
And you always find it in ya' soup, just'a floatin' on the top,
Zucchini's, bloody zucchini's, when will they ever stop?

They pounded us with carrots for many, many years,
Now it's, those zucchinis, it brings a man to tears.
They fry 'em and they boil 'em and some they flamin' bake,
And only just the other day, I seen A, zucchini cake.

Ratbags flamin' ratbags, that's all that I can say,
'Bout those ones who eat zucchinis instead of spuds today.
They eat 'em for their brekky and they eat 'em for their tea,
But I will never eat 'em, so don't serve 'em up to me.

Many, many years ago, when I got drunk and had a spew,
I'd always spew up carrots, always one or two.
I didn't have to eat none, to spew them every-where,
They just appeared like magic; they appeared from out nowhere.

And these days I have this naggin' thought, of zucchini on my brain,
And to spew up those zucchinis, would surly bring me pain.
So, I've made myself a promise, never drink until I'm crook
Or eat those horrible zucchini's, no matter how they're cooked.

October 11, 2000

~~ 395 ~~

~~~ Quince ~~~

"Lose me quince," he says, "That's what ya' flamin do,
You make me lose me flamin' quince.
You nag a man until 'e's lost it," He se's,
"And ya' wonder why e 'asn't spoken since".

"Quince! It's what push's a man over the edge", 'E se's,
"It's when a man does 'is flamin' block ya' see,
And give's 'er the flamin' lot, a broadside,
Unhappy then, that's all you's always be".

I remember many years ago, me dad 'e se's to me,
"Son! Don't marry a girl that'll make ya' lose ya' quince".
I said," Now, hang on dad, don't get mad,
But! What the bloomin' hecks a flamin' quince".

"Well Son", 'E se's, "Inside ya' brain, let me explain,
A man has this extra bit inside 'is flamin' head,
And it's called a quince, and it's women, flamin women
That make ya' lose it", That's what me dear old dad, he flamin' said,

"And if ya' lose it, by crickey, you can bet ya' race is run,
And them women soon they will control ya' life".
"Because if ya' meet a woman that makes ya' lose ya' quince,
Never take that woman for ya' wife".

"Some women don't make ya' lose ya' quince, only a few,
And if ya' find a tart that fills ya' heart,
You'll never lose ya' quince,
And you'll never ever part".

I've always followed my dear old dads advice,
And I found a skirt that is a bonzer sort.
So I'm always tellin' her I'll keep me quince,
And I'm glad you is the shelia that I caught.

October 13, 2000

~~ 405 ~~

~~~ The Soil Surgeon ~~~

There was this soil surgeon, that came from back 'o' Bourke,
Who could dig a hole as fast as you could wink.
He was strong and mighty keen but had trouble keepin' clean,
And b'Jesus did his feet they bloody stink.

Without slightest trepidation he could dig an excavation,
At the speed of any person twice his size.
He could dig a flamin' hole just like a monster mole,
And that hole would be a hole that you would prize.

With a banjo in each hand he could dig in any land,
Through granite rock or limestone or through clay.
He'd dig both day and night until he got it right,
And his work was like a picture on display.

He'd do any sorta' job just to earn a flamin' bob,
And he'd never use a modernised machine.
His shovel and his spade were the tools that showed his trade,
And he'd keep his holes all smooth and spotless clean.

With-out any hesitation he's the hero of our nation,
'Cos, he'd dug up lumps of shiny yellow gold.
And he'd dug up coal and steel, and it wasn't no big deal
Whether it was hot or frezzin' bloody cold.

I was lookin' for some work and diggin' holes could be a lurk,
That I could understand and probably do.
'Cos I have no flamin' trouble with leanin' on a shovel,
Because I'm pretty bloody lazy just like you.

The surgeon gave a sign and said he'd give me a flamin' try.
But I'd have to use a spade and pull me weight.
I pealed off me shirt and prepared to move some dirt,
That's when the surgeon and meself became good mates.

But! There came that fateful day, he was diggin' in some clay,
He was occupied and never heard me shout.
And by the flamin' time, I got some satisfactory twine,
It took me, near twenty years to pull him out.

I had him nearly to the top when I had to flamin' stop
To take a pill to ease me old angina.
Then the rope it flamin' broke and I lost that soil surgeon bloke,
And I'm sure that he would finish up in china.

So, I shone a flamin' light into that hole as black as night,
And I began to scream and shout and yell and holla'.
Then an echo it came back tellin' me I had the sack
'Cos, as a digger I'm not worth a flamin' dolla'.

October 31, 2000

~~ 414 ~~

~~~ Rabbit Eatin' Bunyips ~~~

I went to trap some bunnies, just to make ends meet,
And when I went to check me traps, by gees it had me beat.
I couldn't see just what I'd caught 'cos me trap was down a hole,
And when I tried to pull it out, I seem to loose me self-control.

I was tugged and pulled about a bit, and I fell down on the ground,
Then a rotten smell it hit me and I heard a growling sound.
I jumped; to me feet so flamin' fast I left me pants behind,
That's when I saw its two red eyes, and heard, its teeth begin to grind.

Then a big long tongue came snaking out and grabbed me by me toes,
And a hairy paw came out as well and punched me on the nose.
I yelled and screamed and jumped a bit then, picked up a flamin' rock,
And I ask it for me rabbit trap before I did me flamin' block.

Then I heard this grumbling sound, that, come from way down in that hole,
That would make ya' heart stop pumpin' blood and turn ya' soul to coal.
Then a hairy head appeared, then its shoulders then its chest,
And I got a God Almighty fright, when I saw the flamin' rest.

It was a rabbit eating bunyip that had come from out the scrub,
Just the sort, you'd normally see when your too long at the pub.
Its mouth was breathin' fire, with blood drippin' from its teeth,
And rabbit fur was everywhere, hangin' off that thief.

And me trap was stuck inside its gob and the chain was hangin' out,
And there was rabbit guts and gizzards there, hangin' from its snout.
And each step it flamin' took I backed off a step or two,
And I started dancin', shapin' up, getting' ready for a blue.

I swung a left, and then a right, then an upper-cut as well,
But it was too hard, to get to close, 'cos of its rotten smell.
I stepped back to dodge a mighty swing, from its massive hairy claw,
That's when I hit it with my right, and I knew I had it floored.

It rolled on the ground in agony and made a woeful shreachin' sound,
Then it crawled back to; it's flamin' hole, and headed back into the ground.
Then me trap come flyin past me; it flew from out its hole,
So that bunyips learnt its lesson, when I lost me self-control.

So all you thievin' bunyips, those rabbit, eatin' ones I mean,
Don't steal me flamin' rabbit traps or I'll make ya' flamin' scream.
And I'll rip ya' flamin' teeth out and stomp ya' hairy toes,
And I'll pull ya' by ya' whiskers and I'll punch ya' in the nose.

So you'd all just better move on, to a safer place you see,
Or I'll be trappin' flamin' bunyips and I'll cook ya's up for tea.
And I'll fry ya's and I'll boil' ya' and I'll stew ya's all as well,
But I'll have to hang ya's for a week to rid ya's of ya' smell.

        * * * *

I still go trapping bunnies, just to make ends meet,
And I sell 'em to the butcher's shop that's just on down the street.
But I don't see no more bunyips where, I set my traps each day,
'Cos they've heeded all my warnings and, packed up and moved away.

December 9, 2000

~~ 415 ~~

~~~ Who's That Knockin' On Me Door ~~~

Most every Sunday morning,
I try to sleep in like a king.
But some bastard knocks upon me door
Or the flamin' doorbell rings.
For a moment I just lie there
Then me anger starts to swell
'Cos, that bastard knockin' on me door,
Makes me life a livin' hell.
I am a meek and mild bloke,
Just the sort who shuts his trap,
And I wish those mongrel bastards
Wouldn't wake me from me nap.
Cos there's all different sorts of jokers
That come knockin' on me door,
So I'll tell you mate fair-dinkum,
This is the bloody score.
Now! I've met some bonzer people
Some good Aussies in me time,
That's why I write this verse of mine
In rhythm and with rhyme.
And I've met some proper arseholes
And some mongrels that's for sure,
And some Bible bashin' bastards
That comes knockin' on me door.
They tell me 'bout the future
And how grim it's gunna be,
When Jesus Christ comes back to earth
To set his sinners free.
Or there's kids collectin' money
For some country near or far,
They ask to, just drop a quid
Inside their little jar.
Then they wonder off just down the road
To count what they have scored,
Then they go and spend the flamin' lot
At the local Macca's store.
Or, some bloody smart arse copper
With a summons or a fine,
And he tells me if I don't pay up
I'll end up doin' time.
So, I'm gunna leave this city
And head out for the scrub,
But I'd best be sure that where I go,
There is a flamin' pub.
'Cos grogs a magic potion,
That numbs the smartest brain,
And it gets me so I have to drink
It, time and time again.
And it makes me bloody bulletproof
With more courage than before
So, I can piss those bludgers off,
That come knockin' on me door.

December 11, 2000

~~ 416 ~~

~~~ Splittin' Hairs ~~~

Old Blue the rabbit trapper, never had too much to say,
He just went about his business, in a silent sort of way.
Until he met a joker, that came from Melbourne Town,
That made old Blue the trapper, look just like a flamin' clown.
Instead of using rabbit traps, that man from Melbourne Town,
Spread carrots laced with strychnine all around the ground.
And he made, that rabbit population decline in such a way,
That you'd never see a rabbit, if you searched for half a day.
And the ones who ate the rabbits, had to go without,
And the butchers in the village asked, why the rabbits weren't about.
That Melbourne bloke just smiled, and said he did it for a test,
To see if he could rid this place, of that furry little pest.
And it looked like he'd succeeded, with his poison and his hate,
'Cos, there weren't no bunny rabbits, to put upon your dinner plate.
And the kids they all went hungry with no rabbits left to eat,
All they had was bread and drippin' 'cos there wasn't any meat.

But! Then the word from far out west, beyond the Great Divide,
That there was one left, a rabbit, that's strutting round with pride.
So, that Melbourne bloke and trapper, headed way out west,
To try to trap or poison, that last, great Australian pest.
When they came across its burra', what they saw they were astounded,
There was rabbits racing everywhere, in fact they were surrounded.
Mobs of lovely bunnies, there was thousands of 'em here,
That Melbourne bloke and trapper, was all grins from ear to ear.
So, that trapper and that Melbourne bloke, discussed what they should do,
But they started flamin' arguing, that ended in a blue.
'Cos, that Melbourne bloke demanded, that, poison it would do,
And that trapper said that trappin' was, the surest way he knew.
They yelled and cursed and argued like, they didn't have no cares,
But! All that they was doing, was splittin' flamin' hairs.
'Cos, if ya' poison 'em or trap 'em, they still end up just the same,
So, splittin' hairs in context, is just a silly game.

And the moral of this story is just to make you all aware,
That if you ever buy a bunny, you should always buy a pair.
And splittin' hairs and arguing never has its end,
'Cos, you'll only end up lonely and never keep a friend.

December 12, 2000

~~444 ~~

~~~ Truthful Bush Liars ~~~

I was way out back, upon that track, where time it once begun,
And, I was headin' west, to see the best, of the settin' of the sun.
That's where I met, and had a bet, with a bloke that headed east,
About what kind, he had in mind, of the scariest Aussie beast.
He said he knew, a yarn or two, and he never told no lies,
About the things he saw, and maybe more, on the land or in the skies.

I said, "That's swell, but come and tell, of those scary things you saw,
But don't you boast, of lights and ghosts, 'Cos I've seen 'em all before".
He said, he'd sit and tell, me in a spell, if I boiled him up a brew,
And to make his sweet, while he took a seat, and to cook a spud or two.

So I boiled a brew, just for us two, and threw some spuds into me fire,
Then I waited there, all prepared, to see, if he was a polished liar.
Well, he rolled a smoke, then he cracked a joke, 'bout the things that he had heard,
Then he cracked some more, that had me floored, and we laughed at every word.

When he quietened down, then I saw a frown, as his eyes grew big as plates,
Then he said, "What I'm tellin' you, is flamin' true, I'm no good at lyin' mate".
I was doin' work, just north of Bourke, some twenty years ago,
I was sinkin' wells, and I will tell, that the diggin' there was slow.
And at every jar, from me old crow bar, made me arms and ears ring,
Then I broke right through, some rocks or two, when up popped a flamin' spring.
I was twelve feet deep, from the mullock heap, as me heart began to pound,
And I thought, well strike me pink, I was gunna' sink, a lot deeper in the ground.
Then the bloke up top, he yelled to stop, and to get out from that hole,
'Cos the dam nearby, was runnin' dry, and it was its water that I stole.

Then the cockie came, he screamed with pain, bout how water was his life,
And he was sure to bet, if I didn't get, I would be in flamin' strife.
So I packed me swag, and me tucker bag, and loaded up me gear,
When the cockies curse, got from bad to worse, I thought I'd best get out of here.
That's, when I saw this thing, on a lump of string, that was black and blue and green,
It had four fat legs, like beer kegs, t'was the biggest thing I'd seen.
And, it had great big fangs, like a boomerang, that would freeze ya' very soul,
It had a shaggy coat, like a billy goat, and with eyes as black as coal.
And when it growled, it made me howl, like a flamin' lost schoolgirl,
So I wet me pants, in a half crazed dance, and me hair began to curl.
And I dropped me swag, and me tucker bag, and I raced off down the track,
And I'm tellin' you, that these lies are true, 'Cos I was never goin' back.

But as the years went by, I'd often cry, in my dreams about that beast,
So I wandered back, along that track, and made that beast into a feast.
The mirror I took, made it flamin' crook, when it seen its own reflection,
And it died with fright, that very night, well, that is my recollection".

I thought well struth, if that's the truth; he's a better man than me,
So I told him so, and that he should know, he had earnt his flamin' fee.
So we drank our tea, him and me, and we ate those spuds as well,
And he told me true, t'ween me and you, that sure was livin' hell.

So's I packed me swag, and me tucker bag, and I said I had to blow,
And we'd meet again, on the western plans, where all good bush liars go.

April 23, 2001


Copyright 1996-2005 - KRACKATINNI IS THE REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF RODNEY JOHN O'BRIEN