Homework for 6/9/21 An Awakening.

[Ron]

AN AWAKENING.
© Ron Boughton. 22/8/21

Upon the Darling River in the middle of a drought
And carrying some shearers on their way to further out,
A steamboat chugged in unison with morbid calling crows
And how that engine even went! The good lord only knows,
To boot, its grouchy Captain was a drunkard of renown,
Well known for guzzling rum, in every Darling River town
And lower than a snakes belly! Soon was the shearers view
Of this pathetic effort with his rants of language blue!

A young deckhand, no older, than a pimply teenage kid
Could never please this mongrel Captain, try hard as he did!
As useless as a hip pocket in a singlet, he’d sneer
And bellow it with venom, so that all the world could hear!
Or useless as a chocolate tea pot, was one used foremost,
When his cirrotic liver made the lad his whipping post,
The shearers though were livid when the boy was told ensue,
You’re dumb as a box of hammers! They’d have more brains than you!

For they all could see the boy worked hard, far above his years,
And wouldn’t they love to plant a fist between the Captains ears,
But karma came along, for, when they stopped to load firewood
The shearers took the chance, to shoot some rabbits while they could,
Then on hot coals B.B.Q.’d rabbit, wafted, so appetising
And brought the drunken Captain through the shallows, not realizing
That red gum snags would trip him, and twice throw him in the mud!
So ‘Two snags short of a Barbie’ was the joke bestowed this dud!

Blunt knives at meals, were all the lads fault, he’d rage full of rum
You could ride to Bourke on that knife, and never cut your bum!
But came a night of wildest storms, and flash floods to behold,
In howling wind and driving rain a drama did unfold!
When overboard the Captain fell, and screamed in panicked strife!
But diving in with tethered rope, the boy then saved his life!
At Bourke when asked of the Captain, came the shearers reply,
In his cabin with the D.T.s …still eating humble pie!

[Maureen K Clifford]

Oh well done you - that is excellent Ron - a beaut use of the prompts and a terrific yarn woven at the same time. I really enjoyed reading this .... great work mate. Love it......may I please be allowed to share this onto my other poetry page as well .

[Terry]

Excellent Ron, you have captured that era to a tee, and used the prompts well mate.
I like the story and the setting that you have woven into it - well done Ron.

Terry

[Ron]

Thank you Maureen and Terry for your kind words and pleased that you enjoyed it. And again, once started I didn't have a clue where it was headed, but to me that's what it is all about, all a bit of fun and a challenge.

And Maureen, by all means share it on your page. For that matter any of my poems you think are worth sharing, please feel free to do so.

Cheers
Ron.

[Maureen K Clifford]

Thanks Ron for allowing me to share - I always give the ABPA page a promotion in the hope that some of the poets on my page will come across and join us - this site has been so slow of late as are many others - a sign of the times I suppose sadly.

[Ron]

Yeah it is rather sad Maureen, when you think what it used to be like!

[Shelley Hansen]

Great yarn Ron - you've made good use of Maureen's prompts! Well done!

[Ron]

Thanks so much Shelley, pleased that you enjoyed it.

Cheers
Ron

[Catherine Lee]

Oh well done, Ron!... Yes, sometimes you just never know where poems are heading, as you so rightly say. I've often looked back at some of mine afterwards and thought, 'Where on earth did that come from?' ...Great use of prompts here interwoven into a most enjoyable yarn.

[Ron]

Thank you for your kind and encouraging words Catherine, pleased that you enjoyed it.

Cheers
Ron