Best Heeler Poems
I was working for John Arnold fitting out some shower screens.
"Make sure you're wearing armored pants" had me wonder what he means.
Then he handed me an order form; John Booth’s house was my trip.
‘Boothys’ bloody heeler dog snuck up behind and gave a nip.
I screamed out "You flamin’ mongrel!" My tools flew into the air.
‘Boothy’ stood at the door and grinned at my immediate despair.
I quickly lifted up my pants and blood was flowing everywhere.
"I'll ring the hospital” he said - “Now you get on over there".
Sitting in outpatients waiting for a doctor to be free,
a nurse said I could be an hour. That really didn't suit me.
I wandered past the wards and said g'day to those upon their own,
then started yarning with an old bloke who also was alone.
He told me of his troubles, and all the pills he had to take;
on how he had trouble eating. How he yearned for a steak,
'cause now he's old and toothless; only soft foods tasting great,
then uttered "Eat these roasted almonds on this plate."
I gorged on them; they're beautiful, and they had that smoky taste.
He said "Go on and eat the lot, they'll only go to waste"
And so I did; fifty or more, then thanked him and said good-bye.
Walked back to the outpatients where the nurse came to my side.
"Where have you been?" she’s asking me, "The doc’s been calling you.
We thought you must have got impatient and decided to shoot through."
"Oh no" I said, "I’ve been yarning with an old bloke while I wait,
and I ate all his roasted almonds that he offered on a plate."
The nurse looked at me; her face went pale; like in a state of shock.
"You didn't eat them did you?" I said to her "Of course - why not?"
"His 'rellies' bring them weekly; they think he loves their little treat.
The chocolate ‘round them yes he does - those almonds he can't eat."
The tide slipped out,
The sun went down,
His thoughts surrounded,
That small old town.
The whispering wind,
The flames that cooked,
His catch for the day,
Downhearted he looked.
He missed the mates,
He always saw,
Even Jack at the local,
All lost to war.
"Life has lost meaning Blue",
He said to his friend,
A little sad eyed heeler,
That God must have sent.
As the barra' turned brown,
And the prayers were all said,
Blue turned around,
The old man was dead.
Why such a war,
Meaningless cost,
To honour your country,
To die or be lost.
1981
(barra' is short for barramundi)
Lazy days in fields of bluebonnets;
lost in romantic, Shakespearian sonnets.
Sipping blueberry wine neath a sky blue dome,
on this amazing blue planet I get to call home.
Voyages across the deep blue sea;
pale blue moon lights the way for me.
Blue whales spew mist upon my sails.
Feast on blue crab and lobster tails.
Chillin' on the porch in faded blue jeans;
bluegrass strums across banjo strings.
Frisky blue heeler dancing at my feet;
bluebirds sing along; tweet tweet tweet.
Old Blue Eyes crooning on the radio.
The Blue Lounge was the place to go.
Oddis Redding with those rhythm and blues;
Elvis jirates in Blue Suede Shoes.
All these blues are truly grand,
but baby, when you take my hand;
your touch, delicate as bluebell flowers,
Yet strong as bluestones of castle towers.
When I feel the blues start creeping in,
I gaze your baby blues again.
To my soul and spirit, you are leaven.
You, my love, are my blue heaven.
Neo*,
My beamish boy,
Who slayed 'The Jabberwock'.
"Oh frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"
My friend.
---
*Neo is part Blue Heeler, part mongrel and all good. Mostly.
Lines used from Lewis Carrolls 'Jabberwocky'.
Ryan Jackson
Contest Name Animals on your mind...
Aussie Blue Heeler
Seen em strike, brown snakey type,
When cattle dogs are near,
Seen the bite cut off the hide,
With bloody sheep shearing shears.
Saved dogs life?
Seen brown snakes pulled from logs,
hunting cattle dog, blue heelers,
Seen dogs eating brown snakes, alive,
Scales n all, Blue demon dealer.
Blue heeler used to get the Scrubber, (wild cattle)
Back in the bloody herd,
The runner got nipped on his heels,
Therein blue heeler word.
Religious types came to me ,
The blue dogs intercepted,
Snapping at their heels they were,
left , without a blessing.
Snarling guard dog he will bite,
Right about your heel,
Faithful watchful a delight,
And then your heart he’ll steal.
Don Johnson 22-june-11
Rocky he’s a Cattle Dog
he’s coloured black and blue
He always lays around asleep
till work he has to do..
Two Preachers came walking up our path
to speak their line of spiel
They told me of their one true God
and did it with some zeal
At last they left just one sheep short
And headed for the gate
Then one turned to look around
Cos Rocky bit his mate
I thought to drive old Rocky off
With whip and curses rare…………."Stock whip good on cattle better on burglars in house"..
I cracked the whip and yelled a lot
But terrified the pair
They thought the Devil on their tail
This dog and madman too
They leapt in a Ford and did set sail
In a cloud of smoke so blue….
Don Johnson
Blue heel biting Cattle dog "heeler" or Australian Shepherd
great Aussie brown snake killers, some Dingo in em.....very economical watch Dog...
Adored, loved, and regaled from Melbourne to Perth
She's my blue heeler, the source of such joy and mirth
With her Dingo—DNA
She's a free spirit all the way
And the best mate one could ever hope for on earth!
3/4/23
Ropin Pen
Headed to the ropin' pen
On a Saturday night
Cooler is loaded
This just feels right
Got the ol' dodge rollin'
You know I ain't no phony
Got this six horse trailer
Loaded with my one and only
It's a 10 point slide
Down there at Cody's
With a fresh batch of steers
Lookin for some ponies
I'm just a number three
But it's only a twelve header
Heeler is a two
So he ain't no better
16 back in the short go
With 19 of em' being mine
I was ropin' like Trevor Brazier!
All I needed was a time
But at the bottom of the ninth
Things were lookin' bad
My partner flipped his loop
Right up under my ol' nag
Ol' Rowdy didn't agree
All of a sudden he turned feral
Made a beeline towards the chute
Then shut down and turned the barrel
In all his years as a barrel horse
That was the best run he'd ever made
Luckily for me
I came out, unscathed
I woulda had that ropin'
But it was capped at a 7
If only I won the saddle pad
Ol' Rowdy would think he'd gone to heaven
I was in love with the most lovable sheila
but she did darn take off with me heeler
Overnight, she had packnd their bags
not just me dog, gone too with me scallywags
Left with just a simple note
she had found a more loving bloke
Heartbroken to have lost them all
I gave me mate Bluey a call
Together we drank more than just a slab
ending up so hammered, he had to call us a cab
As the lonely days passed and tears filled me eyes
by crikey it hit me, suddenly I came to realise
What a bloomin idiot, she deserved such love and respect
every night boozin with me mates, my true love I did neglect
I'm gunna cut out me drinkin and win her heart back
fair dinkum fella's, you can flamin bet on that!
'Whiskers'! That's who we called him and he passed through once a year
with his swag and billy; this time with a 'heeler' dog close near.
Our 'oldies' always said when 'Whiskers' camped beside the creek,
to keep away from that old man and don't ever stop to speak.
We saw 'Whiskers' in a different light; believing what he says,
from fighting in the army and all through his droving days.
'Whiskers' held us in his palm with these stories that he'd claim.
He scared us half to death with one. His eyes were mirrors off the flame.
I'd asked him what his dog’s name was. 'Whiskers' grinned "It's Codger.
I've had him for a year now since I lost me St. Dobpitrotger.
That dog was me personal breeding that I battled to rear up,
who snarled and growled and barked from the day he was a pup".
"I crossed a Doberman the first year with a St. Bernard for size,
then crossed one pup with a Pit Bull to get those crazy eyes.
The progeny went to a Rottweiler to get the teeth and growl;
then a German Shepherd sired me pup; a perfect guard for on the prowl".
"That St Dobpitrotger was the meanest dog you'd ever wish to see.
I tied him with a towing chain and kept a club right close to me.
Any stranger who came near me camp would have to be a dill.
He'd strain that chain; froth, roar and bark, and was prepared to kill".
"Yes boys he was a savage dog; at feeding time there's vicious signs,
when I'd give him half a goat or sheep fed off the pitch fork tines.
I'd pass water to him on a shovel, and he would snarl and strain,
but the club was always close to me in case he broke that chain".
The wind blew up; the flames they danced. 'Whiskers' knew the time was ripe.
"What happened to him?" Someone asked. 'Whiskers' sat back and lit his pipe
as he pondered for a minute 'til he had us all in his sight.
"Well, when I was asleep - some mongrel stole him through the night".
OBSESSIONS
Shes so into them high heelers
there's no satisfying her... desire
for them high heeled fashions shoes
a high heeler shes in her deepest self
of chocolates its an addiction but i wont
mention liquor she says gonna say am hating
and brood for weeks on end thou i still lover her
ever always so much i guess shes my obsession..a she
Lewis Nyaga
23/01/2015
An horrific situation happened in a country town.
The districts big employer has closed their factory down.
Twenty men had lost their job; the town had lost its soul.
Not one man was happy about going on the dole.
An application by the council for a grant would surely fit.
Other groups provided funds and the Church threw in a bit
toward a project on the books, where men would have to lodge a week,
clearing scrub for a new dam that will block the Black Snake Creek.
Dougie Ronaldson was widely known as someone who could cook.
These men trusted Dougie’s wares - they won’t eat food that’s crook.
While the gang was clearing scrub, Doug cooked, and too chilled the grog,
while sitting right beside Doug was his faithful heeler dog.
Wednesday I think it was, when a fine upstanding gent.
The local Priest had travelled out to see his Church’s money spent.
He was talking to the toilers who sweated on the Black Snake flat,
then returned to talk to Dougie and he gave his dog a pat.
“The kettles boiling Father; would you like a cup of tea?”
All the other blokes were drifting in - it was dinnertime you see.
They grabbed their mugs and lunches, after they had washed and toweled.
When Father went to take a drink, the dog bared its teeth and growled.
“I don’t think your dog cares much for me” Father’s watching nervously.
“Do you think Doug you could tie him up, I don’t want him biting me”.
“Don’t worry too much ‘bout him Father” said a disconcerting Doug,
“He’s just a little ‘cranky’ - ‘cause you’re drinking from his mug”.
"Imagine a lovely garden, tea for two, and this story . . . "
Mick
I had a cattle dog called Mick,
Who chased a ball and did some tricks
Yes he was a Red Heeler.
Red cattle dogs don’t bite as much,
Friendly dogs do like your touch,
But he chased an 18 wheeler.
He went out, saw a barking dog,
And chased and happy as a frog
truck broke his back, deaths dealer.
Friday 13th it was not,
But Saturday morning not forgot,
The lad I was, a job now got,
To put him out of misery.
I carried him gently in my ute,
.22 rifle and in truth,
Saddened then, and now the proof,
I killed my best friend and burnt him. :(
Don Johnson 7-3-11
I Fancy Another Sad Poem Enter Contest [Enter Contest]
Sponsored by: Constance La France ~ A Rambling Poet ~
SADLY IT'S TRUE
Rhonda roo
Precious girl
Never knew
She ruled my world
Always there
Always love
Unconditional
Protector
Baby dog
All in one.
Had to run
Liked to throw
Toys in the air.
Changed roles in stride
When baby boys arrived.
Gave up attention
To those just mentioned.
Companion
Patient one
Trusting love.
My sweetest one
Just like a daughter
The love I felt.
She loved her life
She had fun
Tried to stay
To be with me
I let her go one February night
Held her in my hands
Told her it was alright
She had helped me through
So much in my life
A constant friend
A comfort and joy
I think about how
It all started by chance
In a far away state
On a warm spring day
She needed me
And I needed her
She looked at me
And I rescued her
She I adored
And she paid me back 100 times more.
Dedication to my Rhonda Jane - October 1990 to February 3, 2004 - red heeler mix dog saved from a shelter in Lawton, Oklahoma May 1991 - 1 day before she was scheduled to be gassed due to lack of space in a crowded shelter - I was visiting a college friend in town in a state halfway across the country from my home and accompanied my friend to the shelter to help her look for a dog for herself but when Rhonda looked at me I knew I couldn’t leave there without her...
Hurry up! Barry the boorish bulldog urged Priss the poodle.
There are others here who want to unwind their noodle.
Is that surly curly still in the bath? Is she getting her legs waxed?
German shepherd’s temper was being severely taxed.
Move over a bit so I can reach the sink!
Said a beagle who was trying to get a drink.
The bathroom was filled up with dogs of variety of pedigrees.
They were hopping around on fat legs that had chased a good breeze.
How many more roommates are we going to get?
Yelped a blue heeler with sass who was throwing a fit.
The puppies barked, and the old dogs passed big gas.
All of them ready to leap around on some grass.