Joey and Bluey Gray

[DollyDot]

The Big of Bourke

Now Joey was a fine lass and Bluey was her friend
They would surely be together until the very end.
It is not often you would find such an unlikely pair.
Her hair was dark and curly her skin so very fair!
He was red from the top of his head to his boney feet
And a funnier bloke you could never chance to meet.

They lived outside of Bourke, where the flats are mostly dry
But in the Spring of twenty-two, the water rose quite high.
Should they stay or should they go – this was a dilemma.
And Blue’s face went redder as he began to stammer.
“I’m not sure what to do my girl,” was what he said
“If we go, we’ll be safe, but all our stock will be dead.”

Now Joey in her quiet way said, “We’ll both have to stay
And that way we can save the animals, the house, and the hay!”
Bluey looked at her so puzzled by her simple tone of voice
“How?” He said, “I don’t think we have much choice!”
“Our house is high much higher than the water will ever come
We just must be ingenious, something we’ve always done.”

“Ingenious!” he raised his eyebrows about to really shout
“Yes!” and she began to tell him to hurry and get about.
The first was to gather the stock close to the back stairs
And she made a ramp and settled the animals in pairs!
Slowly and surely the creatures afraid of the rising damp
Climbed up to the kitchen along the rickety ramp!

Now once inside they scattered to all corners of the house
This little exercise, they thought was simply rather grouse.
The water rose so slowly but all were safe inside
Lying on the carpet with dags hanging from each backside.
Hard for Joey and Bluey to find a place to sit, lie or stand
What would they find when the water drained from the land!

A day and night of feeding the animals inside the place
One could just imagine it would be a real disgrace.
Joey and Bluey cared for these creatures like they were their kin
Until at last it was time to let them out once again!
So very slowly they gently coaxed them down the ramp
And out across the paddocks the animals did scamp.

It took a long time to make it a home again
But eventually they had it clean from smell and stain.
They felt so proud they had lost not even one.
But Joey and Bluey knew there was more to be done!
So Bluey built an animal run that sits up high
And if it floods out Bourke again, the animals will be dry!

[Ron]

Good on you Dolly, Great poem of an improvising outback tale!
Wouldn't like to have had to clean the mess up though!
Enjoyed the read and the laugh!
Cheers
Ron

[DollyDot]

Thanks Ron!

[Terry]

G/day Dolly
Where have you been hiding?
Haven't seen anything of yours for a while now,
but this one was worth waiting for.

Cheers

Terry

[DollyDot]

Thanks Terry! I have been writing but just haven't got around to posting. I will have to get my act together again though. Cheers!

[Catherine Lee]

This is great, Dolly - a most enjoyable tale. I haven't heard the word "grouse" used in ages either - brought a smile!

[Maureen K Clifford]

I love it - but did you really mean to post it here?

I think perhaps you meant it to be in the Poetry section rather than the Writing Workshop