ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY© Frank Daniel 2001


Can you get out of bed each morning; forget your caffeine charge,
Go without a shower; or pep pills that make for life at large.
Can you resist complaining and boring others with your woes,
And take whatever comes your way no matter what life throws

Could you face the same old tucker placed before you every day;
and be grateful that it’s there at least, not turn your head away.
Do you understand when loved ones cannot give you all their time,
and leave you on your lonesome – like, to know you is a crime.

Can you tolerate inclement weather - never once complain,
and still remain the cheerful one; still ignore each ache and pain.
Can you relax in sober state, never touching alcohol
or live your life not fearing God or blemishing your soul

Can you overlook the critics when so blatantly they curse
Blaming you for all that’s going wrong, sometimes for matters worse.
Can you cope with all life’s tensions without psychiatric aid;
tell no lies, avoid deceit, live a healthy life and staid.

Can you handle all life’s tensions ne’er amassing doctor’s bills;
stay warm without electric blankets; sleep without using pills.
Can you sleep right through a thunderstorm – just lay there like a log.
If you can cope with all these things, you must be the family dog.

Good one Frank.

When I stayed at Bungendore there were thunderstorms every night and the poor dog was terrified and to keep it calm it was put into the laundry cupboard which was quite funny.

Heather

Not a truer word was spoken Frank.

Most relaxing just sitting and watching the dogs and what they do around the yard. I should rephrase that watch their antics.


Bob

Thanks Heather,
We had fifteen dogs, sometimes more, sometimes less, when kids on the farm at Bungendore.
Most of them lived in large hollow logs down at the woodheap. Some had forty-four gallon drums. Two lived under the shearing shed and only one, 'Blucher' lived on the back verandah at the house with the cockatoo and the galah. We never had a cat.
None of them ever seemed too concerned about thunderstorms.

Joe

Love it Joe - never a truer word spoken.

Cheers

Maureen

morning Joe,

I think that, like their owners, these modern day dogs don't know they are alive. Posh fluffy beds, and some even have coats to wear in the cold and raincoats would you believe. Shivering at the sight of a little lightning, what next. They are pampered beyond belief. I read of the rediculous amounts of money spent on animals and think what good this could do for other causes. Now girls don't shoot me please, But I couldn't in all good conscence spend $1000. or more, on vet bills specially on an old dog that probably will only live a year or two. I don't think I am hard hearted but really thay are animals after all. I saw on TV they are doing hip replacements on dogs now. How utterly rediculous. I wonder who is benifiting more from this. The dog? the Vet? or the dog owner? I think it is the Vet's bank balance.

While there are children dying of hunger, it just seems wrong to me.

I like your poem. I see it is not new. Are you back into writing or still too busy?

Oh Zondrae ! rediculous once is bad enough but rediculous twice is ridiculous.
And benifiting ? bene..bene..it's Italian word means good. Bene/fit...make good.

Good Poem Frank.
My neighbour's dog gets left on it's lonesome sometimes , but it gets very upset. So do I ! yap yap yap.
My old old late mutt was deadly scared of thunder or any loud sudden noise.

I think we can get away with a few extra unstressed syllables chucked in, but I think we need to be careful of any stray extra stressed syllables, they tend to throw the rhythm out.

Yer right Zondrae!
None of our dogs ever went to a vet and a vet never came to them.
they either died of old age or we shot 'em!
Most of them were mongrel bred, with mixes like Greyhound, Wippet, Terrier, Alsation, crossed with Alsation, Terrier, Wippet and Greyhound.
We had a half baked pug that was about as wide as he was high and was the best fighter of the lot.
he was the slowest runner but not the loser, when another dog caught a rabbit, he just waded in and took the spoils. The terrier stood up to him the most.
I was droving for Mick Ward the meat buyer who loaned me a red border collie, 'Toby', to help me with the work. He was no damned good either, (the dog I mean) and when a car ran over him at Carcoar in 1976, breaking his off side front leg I sent him in a passing car to the vet at Blayney. A week later when I had delivered the cattle, I picked him up from the vet and had to fork out $45.00 Bloody Hell! That was a lot but when it was Micks dog I really had no choice.
When the dog recovered I cut the plaster off and offered him back to Wardy and told him the story.
He couldn't believe me. 'I woulda shot the bastard' he said. 'Seeing that he's cost you all that money you'd better keep him.
I packed Toby off to my brother Jimmie at Bungendore, on a trial basis.
Jimmie tried him and fired him the first day.
He gave him a lead injection at fifty yards, thats the closest he could get to Toby.
I told you he was a mongrel; Toby I mean. Not Jim.

Joe

This was told to me a long time ago by old Wild Dog Red don't no his right name that is all any one knew him as and he was the bloke who gave me my first mob and the chance of the droving game

The road of life is paved with many dogs
but a good one is worth many roads

ah those were the days Bill W

I think I'll let you go first Maureen !!!! I just need to stew on this for a while.



Bob