'Anzac Day' by David George

ANZAC DAY


We instill the ANZAC spirit
and the town was quite abuzz

with Bill the blacksmith's helper
and Joe the fuzzy-wuzz-

the kangaroos were languid
but the kookaburras laughed

when Jack the Kiwi trooper
asked the RSL for draught.

The bar-room girls they sniggered
and the diggers nudged their pals

and the bar-man looked to heaven
with his gaze took off the gals.

:"now here's a dandy rooster"
as he wiped change off the bar

and the punters wiped their noses
in that dry back country bar.

The kiwi was stuck for answers
as Jack Bunbury dropped his cue

and the silent wind grew drousy
and the eucalypts drew in their dew.

The pause was growing pregnant
and love might turn to hate-

but the barman smiled and poured a beer
as the kiwi uttered- "mate!"




Written by David George, first posted to the People's Poetry Bookshelf on 23rd April 2013.