Some of you rural folk might enjoy this little ditty I wrote for my step-Dad, who, now well into his 70s, still heads south each summer to drove cattle from the McKenzie Basin to sale in Timaru. "Country Man" is a song, rather than a poem, and if my family's to be believed, it's been played to every cow cocky and his dog in every pub, RSA and rugby club in the Waikato. ;-)



Cross the wide Mckenzie Basin by Lake Ohau's stony shore

From Glen Lyon and the stations in between

With his backside in the saddle midst a mob of weary cattle

He's as close to God as man has ever been.



(Chorus)

He's a country man, working on the land

Every day's another story to be told.

Though the hands are rough and the talk is tough

In the country man there beats a heart of gold



There are younger men and fitter who have fallen by the way

Found the journey long, the going mighty tough

But he has no thought of quitting till the drovers' work is done

For the country man is made of stronger stuff.



If you're standing by the roadside when the country man rides by Chances are, he'll stop and share a yarn or two

Roll a fag and tell a story 'bout some bloke he used to know

Then it's "Come on Bess, we've still got work to do."



When the long day's work is ended and the sun sinks in the west

Still he has no need to venture into town

For the country man, fine dining means a plate of meat and spuds

With a can or two of Speights to wash it down



When he's made his final muster, when the drover's day is done

And he's played his part in God's almighty plan

We'll not claim he was a hero nor a legend in his time

But we'll proudly say "He was a country man."

beautiful Grannyracer..i would love to hear it sung. What a clever gal you are!

Not just the rural folk who enjoyed it, well done, I wish I had your talent.

Oh yes, wish we had the tune to go with the words. Encore!!!

I love your song Grannyracer, well done and well written. Reminds me of the Poems that "Blue Jeans" writes. How about another one?