Outback Truckers
Wheels turning, churning, fighting for a grip
mud oozing, clinging, sucking for purchase
rivers flooding their banks, water everywhere
trucks fighting trying to get through and deliver
their precious cargos that are desperately awaited
sometimes gasoline or much needed machinery
all depending on the driver to make it to them.
Rugged terrain scorching hot, dust billowing
rushing, rushing, thrusting ever onwards
on the lookout for wandering kangaroo's
hitting one can mean break down or overturning
tyres overheating and engines grumbling
break down out here and you are on your own
stranded until you fix the problem some how.
Massive extra wide loads, pain to get secure
permits needed before you can travel
limited to journeying only by night
desperately trying to make pull in spot
millions worth of cargo on board
and still three hundred and sixty kilometres
away from where you need to be.
Outriders ahead telling you when it is safe
to overtake that slow double trailer load
all hell breaking loose if they tell you wrong
stopping for pit stop and them going by
might be a hundred kilometres before
you can safely pass them once more
narrow or low bridges to navigate.
Will you ever get through before the Wet
closes everything down for months on end
risking the short cut praying it stays dry
if you are wrong stranded wheel deep in mud
tractors trying to pull you out, chains snapping
digging frantically in terrible heat keeping eyes open
for them dratted snakes, at last you are free
Moving on only to get bogged down once more
and the whole process starts all over again
at last free and moving rapidly along
the load must get through at all costs
getting lost in the outback no fun
as you search for a place to safely turn
at last reaching where you are supposed to be.
Dropping off life saving supplies and fuel
you reload and set off to do it all again
having to stop and re secure loose chains
three blowouts to fix, pray you have no more
you have used up all your spare tyres
brakes ceasing overheating you grind to a stop
sun blazing down as you fight to free them.
All these perils and many more are your woes
reputations on the line if you fail to deliver
so you drive on trying to make up lost time
family waiting, weeks since you last made it home
one last load to go before the Wet halts all
reaching your destination at long last
finally turning for the welcome journey home.
written 06/26/2014
contest Any Poem of The Week #10
Copyright © Shadow Hamilton | Year Posted 2014
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