ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

got to thinking today after 2 coffees and two pieces of banana bread cost me the princely sum of $15.50 how much I missed the simple pleasure of

BILLY TEA AND DAMPER



When you’re out working in the bush, working hard as you must.
Pulling scrub with a dozer in the heat and dirt and dust.
When the water bag is warm and the day is hot and dry,
thoughts of Billy tea and damper puts a sparkle in your eye.

A cold beer would be better but it’s early in the day
and you’re feeling parched already, in your throat dust turns to clay.
You can’t imagine anything to better hit the spot,
than a slice of fresh cooked damper and tea in a pint pot.

You stoked the fire this morning and there’s now a bed of coals.
The Billy won’t take long to boil, hanging beneath crossed poles.
The dampers ready to go in those coals that spit and hiss.
When cooked slather the Syrup on...Who eats better than this?

Before you know it, in the city you’ve spent fifteen bucks a day
on five dollar cappuccinos, chai teas and those lattes.
Out here in the country you can fill a mug right up
and it sure beats a flimsy teabag in a polystyrene cup.

Folks here drink tea hot and black, in pint mugs with no froth.
Spread damper with fresh butter, thick - sweet syrup dripping off.
You’ll not find better tucker from restaurant or chicken fryer,
than Billy tea and damper made upon an open fire.

Maureen Clifford ©

Nice poem Maureen. Sounds really yummy! Haven't had damper for ages.

Heather

Hmmm, makes me wanna go camping!

Oh goody, can I come too?

Mauren, can you you do that one where you swing the billy around while it's full of tea and hot water. ??

Good one Maureen, a poem about Billy Tea and Damper how good is that.

Kym and Heather we have a desert trip coming up next month all bush camping. Depart Kalgoorlie 26th Sep for Laverton then Laverton to Coober Pedy in a straight line on the Anne Beadel Hwy, about ten days then up to Alice to see if we can find any poets up there, returning from Alice to Kalgoorlie across the Great Central Hwy, Just on a month all up (lots of Billy Tea and Damper).

We can pick you up in Kalgoorlie on the 25th of Sep and drop you off any where along the track that you like.1350 Kms of this Hwy, diesel fuel at Ilkurlka mid way about $3 a litre

Neville I can and so can my kids, but they're bushies too.

TTFN

Now Dave you know Heather is a city girl and asking her to rough it would just be too much !!!


Have not been fishing for a while now that I think of it, reckon I still know how to get a bite though.


Bob

Wow Dave, that sounds really tempting.

Bobbo, you know nothing of the sort. I'm insulted to be called a city girl. I did a LOT of camping and four wheel driving (not personally, I was too young to drive) in my youth (just seems like yesterday really ) Saw a lot of Victoria's high country and did a big trip in NT at one point. Memories... What's more I'd love to get back into it again.

Heather

Hey I sure can pick em Dave. Told you i would get a bite as Heather was telling us about her camping exploits when she was up here.


Still got it Bob

I can't Neville but my ex could and did every time he made a billy of tea and he also made the best damper I have ever tasted...simple pleasures are often the best.

Hope the whole trip isn't on a track like that Dave - you'd end up weighing heavy at the end of it just from the bulldust