Re: Collabaration no 13 We're With you mate
Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 6:13 pm
WE'RE WITH YOU MATE
There must be something we can do, we can’t watch these blokes lose heart
we can’t watch their paddocks dying or their families torn apart.
The kids can’t understand why Dad won’t play with them at night
why Grandad doesn’t come around we know it isn’t right.
These blokes have toiled for many years to build the family farm
in good years and in bad ones they had kept their kin from harm
but the unrelenting drought that struck has taken all they had,
it eats away their self respect, why can't they be like their Dad?
martyboy
They only need a fair shake, they’re not asking for hand outs.
They’ve always done the hard yards - battled fire, flood, banks and drought.
But these blokes are getting older still you never hear them whinge
though sometimes it all seems too hard you'll never see them cringe.
Not one of them’s a clock watcher – their days aren’t nine to five,
but start at dawn and end at dark as long as they’re alive.
They get no holidays away – for farming is hard work
and these families are doing it hard and don’t have time to shirk.
mkc
A kindly mate who’d worn those shoes – with hair life had turned grey
said “I ain’t got much to offer and I don’t know what to say
I’m with you all the way mate though I ain’t money in the coffer
but a shoulder mate I’ve always got and friendship I can proffer.”
bill w & mkc
True Blue these men who work the land, from sunup to sundown,
who raise their hats and bid g'day, their friendliness renown.
They till the land and sow the crops, their forebears did this too,
they are the backbone of this land, real aussies through and through.
Sue
He had a bit of fencing that he knew that he should fix
before his woolly wethers wandered out between the sticks.
It was a job usually tackled without giving it a thought
but today it seemed more difficult, some extra help he sought.
He’d felt the black dog biting quite a bit these last few weeks
he was a cunning bugger and he knew the spots to seek.
Most days he’d call the dog to heel and just get on with life
but today Dog was persistent and he knew he was in strife.
And though this man was mighty proud – this man was not a dill
he got straight on the blower and he called his neighbour Phil,
he said “ could you come over Mate? I need to run some wire
but more than that I need to talk – your shoulder I require.”
mkc
"No probs there mate." without a pause, his friend was on his way,
he knew it didn't matter that he'd not know what to say.
He told his wife, "The black dog's got his teeth into my mate,
I know darn well that kind of hell and love, I may be late."
Wen
They worked ‘longside each other – nothing said between the two.
Every now and then a hand would wave, bloody bush flies to shoo.
They stopped beneath an Ironbark for a break in welcome shade
and the first opening remark was tentatively made.
“I appreciate you coming Phil, I knew you wouldn’t judge
‘cause you’ve done the hard yards many times and never tried to fudge
that things were hunky dory when we all knew they were crook.
I don’t know which way to turn Mate I’m buggered each way I look.”
mkc
“There’s nothing to be said old son – I’ve walked miles in your shoes
and it all comes down to choices – you can win or you can lose
but you can’t do it alone Mate – it’s a long hard row to hoe
so the first choice now you’ve made and that was letting someone know.
We’re all in this together Jack – it’s not just you and me
we’ve all got monkeys on our backs – it’s not how it should be
but these times aren’t forever – they will pass and on we’ll go
and if we let one founder, it will be a bitter blow.
Tonight we have a meeting of the whole community
the banking blokes will be there and the stock agents agree
to help us with a plan –an action plan to fight the fight
and I reckon you should be there Mate – I’ll pick you up tonight. ''
mkc
It's not a hole you're in here but a tunnel with an end,
it's dark and long but let yourself be guided by a friend.
I won't say that it's easy and some days you may regress,
but take this lifeline with me mate, divide up your distress.
Wen
There must be something we can do, we can’t watch these blokes lose heart
we can’t watch their paddocks dying or their families torn apart.
The kids can’t understand why Dad won’t play with them at night
why Grandad doesn’t come around we know it isn’t right.
These blokes have toiled for many years to build the family farm
in good years and in bad ones they had kept their kin from harm
but the unrelenting drought that struck has taken all they had,
it eats away their self respect, why can't they be like their Dad?
martyboy
They only need a fair shake, they’re not asking for hand outs.
They’ve always done the hard yards - battled fire, flood, banks and drought.
But these blokes are getting older still you never hear them whinge
though sometimes it all seems too hard you'll never see them cringe.
Not one of them’s a clock watcher – their days aren’t nine to five,
but start at dawn and end at dark as long as they’re alive.
They get no holidays away – for farming is hard work
and these families are doing it hard and don’t have time to shirk.
mkc
A kindly mate who’d worn those shoes – with hair life had turned grey
said “I ain’t got much to offer and I don’t know what to say
I’m with you all the way mate though I ain’t money in the coffer
but a shoulder mate I’ve always got and friendship I can proffer.”
bill w & mkc
True Blue these men who work the land, from sunup to sundown,
who raise their hats and bid g'day, their friendliness renown.
They till the land and sow the crops, their forebears did this too,
they are the backbone of this land, real aussies through and through.
Sue
He had a bit of fencing that he knew that he should fix
before his woolly wethers wandered out between the sticks.
It was a job usually tackled without giving it a thought
but today it seemed more difficult, some extra help he sought.
He’d felt the black dog biting quite a bit these last few weeks
he was a cunning bugger and he knew the spots to seek.
Most days he’d call the dog to heel and just get on with life
but today Dog was persistent and he knew he was in strife.
And though this man was mighty proud – this man was not a dill
he got straight on the blower and he called his neighbour Phil,
he said “ could you come over Mate? I need to run some wire
but more than that I need to talk – your shoulder I require.”
mkc
"No probs there mate." without a pause, his friend was on his way,
he knew it didn't matter that he'd not know what to say.
He told his wife, "The black dog's got his teeth into my mate,
I know darn well that kind of hell and love, I may be late."
Wen
They worked ‘longside each other – nothing said between the two.
Every now and then a hand would wave, bloody bush flies to shoo.
They stopped beneath an Ironbark for a break in welcome shade
and the first opening remark was tentatively made.
“I appreciate you coming Phil, I knew you wouldn’t judge
‘cause you’ve done the hard yards many times and never tried to fudge
that things were hunky dory when we all knew they were crook.
I don’t know which way to turn Mate I’m buggered each way I look.”
mkc
“There’s nothing to be said old son – I’ve walked miles in your shoes
and it all comes down to choices – you can win or you can lose
but you can’t do it alone Mate – it’s a long hard row to hoe
so the first choice now you’ve made and that was letting someone know.
We’re all in this together Jack – it’s not just you and me
we’ve all got monkeys on our backs – it’s not how it should be
but these times aren’t forever – they will pass and on we’ll go
and if we let one founder, it will be a bitter blow.
Tonight we have a meeting of the whole community
the banking blokes will be there and the stock agents agree
to help us with a plan –an action plan to fight the fight
and I reckon you should be there Mate – I’ll pick you up tonight. ''
mkc
It's not a hole you're in here but a tunnel with an end,
it's dark and long but let yourself be guided by a friend.
I won't say that it's easy and some days you may regress,
but take this lifeline with me mate, divide up your distress.
Wen