Rooboy

ROOBOY

Between the spinifex and gibber, across the dry, hot sand,
Lenny sits as proud as punch with the leather straps in hand,
His roo it has a saddle and a bit between its teeth,
When he wants to change direction, he gives the reins a reef.

You see Lenny rides a kanga, a great big bounding roo,
The locals think he's crazy as he comes bouncing through,
From Coolah to Walgett, Burke, Gunnedah and Broken Hill,
You’ll hear the call as Rooboy passes, “You’re a flaming dill.”

But Lenny sits as pleased as punch, crunching spinifex,
Under the paws of the  red roo  that he christened Rex,
The mulga bush and salt pan is where the unlikely pair roam,
The never-never, the back of beyond, the outback is their home.

From White Cliffs to Wilcannia you’ll hear the walloping sound,
The great big thump beyond Black Stump racing cross the ground,
The dingoes and galahs, the corellas join in too,
Laughing at their loudest as the pair come bounding through.

But one day opinions changed in the town of Coober Pedy,
Arriving were some robbers, dangerous and so greedy,
Roo-boy bounced the villains into the crusty ground,
The locals called him hero, an outback legend found.

Now when Roo-boy's seen, that is where the story’s spread,
Jackaroos and Jillaroos dip the akubra hats upon their head,
They pay homage to the boy that saved the outback town,
The place where inhabitants spend most time underground.

Now a song's just been written, Rooboy is its name,
It's spread across Australia, giving the pair such fame,
But you won't see them in a fancy place, being kept and well fed,
They still sleep under the stars, using dried tussocks for a bed.

REPEAT FIRST VERSE               John Williams
Copyright © | Year Posted 2017

Poem

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White Avatar
April 24, 2017 at 4:54 AM
I love this a lot and it brought a wide smile to my face :) Great storytelling you do here. Going to read more of your poems now.
Williams Avatar
April 24, 2017 at 7:24 AM
Thanks very much Darren---I am looking for someone to set to music with didgeridoo & so on. ,,,,kind regards----john
Allison Avatar
January 2, 2017 at 4:41 PM
you weave a wonderful tale in your lyric John - fabulous imagery and I love humour too:-) hugs Jan xx
Williams Avatar
January 2, 2017 at 6:19 PM
Thanks for your lovely comment Jan---much appreciate it-----John
Vinson Avatar
January 2, 2017 at 4:28 PM
Bravo, John. : ) And cheers to Lenny and Rex.
Williams Avatar
January 2, 2017 at 4:30 PM
Thanks a lot Doug---- will let them know----thanks john
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