For Day 3 of Queensland Writers Week a very Aussie poem by Susan Skowronski

DANCING BLUES

Words: Susan Skowronski

Freddie’d been out dancing
his head was mighty sore,
indulged in some refreshment
then had a couple more.
A girl misunderstood him
slapped him on the ear.
Brother to the rescue
kicked him up the rear.
Pigs got laying pellets
when he staggered out next morn,
pig food to the chickens,
dogs a bowl of corn.
To muster cows for milking
he’d ride the gentle hack –
but saddled up the bull
and climbed on to its back.
Old Barney stood a moment,
just making up his mind,
before he started bucking,
twists and turns of every kind.
He did a triple corkscrew
an awesome show of power,
raced around the paddock
‘bout a hundred miles an hour.
Freddie hung on grimly
‘This horse ain’t got no sense!’
Till finally it threw him and he sailed
up o’er the fence.
He landed in the pig pen
and that was where he lay,
he’d teach that ‘horse’ a lesson
but maybe not today.
He knew his bones were broken,
his head was even worse.
Drinking is a problem
but dancing – that’s a curse!

Reproduced with the kind permission of the author.

Thanks so much Susan.