Poems From The Lyons Den   
 

Poems From The Lyons Den
Home About Mal n Ral Poems Memorial Friends

 

 
Aussie Aussie Aussie
 

I was born a "Banana Bender", to a "Taswegian" Mum and Dad
And I left our home in 'Bundy" when I was just a lad.
I needed to "have a gander" along the 'wallaby track",
in search of work and freedom in the "Aussie" great "outback".

I started on my "Pat Malone" until I met up with a "mate".
He was "built like an old brick shithouse"and his "cobbership" was great.
His "fungus face" was ginger. His hair was auburn red,
His hat was old and tattered perched high upon his head.

His name was "Bluey" Grimaldi, an older man than me
And he became a "Swaggie" in nineteen seventy three.
We put the "Billy" on to boil, unrolled our trusty "swag".
Bluey stoked the fire while I sucked on a fag.

Our camp was near a "billabong", where the "mozzies" were out in force.
We dined on "damper" and "bum nuts" splashed with a bit of "dead horse".
Bluey then told me his story, about the life he was living before,
when things turned "crook in Muswellbrook" after the Vietnam war.

I had me a "missus" and two "billy lids" when I came home from Vietnam
And a "few snags short of a barbie"…. Well that was according to Pam.
I got "full as a boot" too often and "flaked" from drinking too much.
"blew our Dough" on "grog" and "nags" gambling, "footy" and such.

I was a "dingbat, a "drongo". The "bush telegraph" passed the word round
But "fairdinkum mate", I could see nothing wrong,' til a "blow in" arrived at our town.
A "sand groper" "fella" from Bunbury whose "clobber" was casual and smart
Soon caught the eyes of my "missus" and she quickly gave him her heart.
"flat out like a lizard drinking" he left with my "sheila" and kids,
And with them they took all my future punished for things that I did

So her e I am young "fella" I think I have "earbashed" enough
My life has been "a dogs breakfast" and at times a little too tough.
"I'm as dry as a dead dingos donger", " amber fluid" is all that I need,
"Hoo roo cobber" I'm leaving and its been a pleasure indeed.

He packed his swag and departed, I watched as he faded from site
I soon bedded down in the "humpy" and I prayed that he'd be alright.
I dozed off to sleep by the firelight, to the drones of a "didgeridoo"
the "white cockatoos" in the treetops and the bounds of a "red kangaroo".



The next morning I pondered Blues story with a quiver from my bottom lip
A "digger" who fought for Australia , without a "fair crack of the whip'.
The thought made me "mad as a cut snake" I realized just what war could do
And to think there are many more veterans, exactly the same as old Blue.

So now back on my "Pat Malone," beyond the "back of Bourke"
I hope and pray "just down the road" that I will find some work.
Stock up the empty "tucker bag" have me a "schooner" or two
And drink a toast to Vietnam vets, especially my old mate "Blue.


Copyright © M C Lyons






 

    

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright 2010 Malcolm C Lyons. All Rights Reserved.