Mulga Snakeyes
Mulga Snakeyes
Yes we went a Droving on the job
As we rode around the mob
With the cattle,
just to earn our bit of pay
with Uncle Charlie, to earn a bob
a watching watching of
watching for the cow that often strays
I was 13 down near Hebel
on the border came the evil
When the Mulga snake came a charging
at me n Burkie hey (Jonny Burke of Dirranbandi) a man of 15
Maybe 10 foot long or longer
old brownie seemed the stronger
unsuitable for townies
and deadly in his way
And he panted and he frothed
as he lurched and lunged our way
Just now me little brain did rattle
and the verse went round n round
And I couldn’t sleep no more at 1am
I can see him in the darkness vivid bloody starkness
So I’m sitting at the puter,
saw this brute one sunny day
Very blackly brown a coming coming
as we rode to get away
We cantered quick through Mulga sticks (tree 13% protein in leaves for stock)
and the snake was catching up
So we spurred into a gallop this I say,
He was still a coming coming,
head up running running
still coming only half a mile away
we could see his head up a looking
our death he was a cooking
Still casting fear
to make us run away
If I had been there on foot
As Burkie said old chook
He’d have killed us both
No problem anyway!
Don Johnson
14-may-11
Copyright © Don Johnson | Year Posted 2011
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