They slogged at Kokoda,
endured Tobruk,
El Alamein
was finally took.
They pioneered on,
back on new land blocks.
Worked along steady
enduring along.
Then on in the sixties
a band of the boys
went drilling & trucking,
prospecting the land.
Pushing the limits
as nor west they forged
Following tracks of prospectors before.
Establishing railways,
way out in the bush,
dredging out harbours,
an all time record push.
On as the seventies
and eighties rolled round.
Shop stewards from Glasgow,
exact toll from the land.
An insidious drag
as strain is increased
with Oc’ health & safety,
added to the list.
Computers & cabinets
all jammed choc a block,
with job safety analysis
reports from the lot.
Where everyone’s seated,
pre-start meetings on,
and we’ll line up again,
check for booze ‘n’ the bong.
Finally we’re out there,
out on the job
Out there unhappy,
enduring our lot.
As on the queue stumbles,
first onto the plane,
to the bus where I’m taken
again to retrain.
Back to the mess queueing again,
day shift’s pouring in from busses ‘n’ cars
Acquaintance renewed in the passing parade.
Brief stopover pedalling,
fast in the gym,
game playing’s over
as time whiles away.
4am start up,
off to the mess.
Breakfasts dished up,
get it down ‘n’ let’s go.
Enduring the pre-start
and JSA game blow in the bag,
first one for the day.
As Oc’ health ‘n’ safety’s
patrolling parade,
impacts each minute of each passing day.
‘Til finally it’s over,
one sleep ‘n’ I’m out.
A week to recover,
home on the block,
Enduring along,
till its back here again.
John's novel "The Ute" is now physical
◎ Available from Lulu.com in Paperback (pictured) for AU$24.99
◎ Now available at Lulu.com (Digital ePUB version) for AU$3.50
◎ Also available on iTunes and Barnes & Noble book stores.
◎ 1st edition of "The Ute" (34pp shorter) still available on Kindle (Kindle)
◎ For our US friends, A "ute" is a utility vehicle; a pickup truck.
| Paperback | Electronic | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 0.41kg | 0kg |
| Pages | 238pp | big writing 2000pp |
| Dimensions (cm) | 14.81 x 20.98 | 4 dimensional |
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