Jun 2018
Away up the top out in the back blocks
Simply days drive from anywhere at all~
We were camped on the side of a river bank
Not far from a wet season come water fall~
We were running out of food to some extent
I assured them all we were just fine~
That I as camp cook had enough to last us
And tonight as usual we were all going to dine~
We were way up there on a top end fishing trip
And I'd been up there a good few times before~
Where the best fish were only ever caught
In a land that I came to adore~
One bloke there had a friend with him
Who was a real city well fed chum~
And he kept boasting how his wife could cook
As he sat swigging on the last of his ***~
I knew they were going up stream for the day
To fish and do some prospecting up the way~
And I told them tonight a real Irish stew
And he replied that sounds real good mate ay~
He said no way I could eat that bush tucker
I got to have whats proper and comes from shops~
I don't eat that out back wild bush Tucker stuff
It'll never ever get pass or through my chops~
But an Irish stew yes that'll sure do
And it sounds real good to me~
When we get back from up the track
I'll have my share of that you wait an see~
So they eventually left in one direction
And I eventually left in the other~
Hoping the thick bushland would act as
To my rifle shots a cover~
I shot a Roo and a Goanna later on
A Bandicoot and soon one wild cat~
And then I shot a large wild parrot
Got a young croc in the water and headed back~
A little ways from the camp where we were
I used a fallen log as a butchers block~
And then I got this big bucket full
Of meaty bits right to the top~
The fire now lit and big cooking *** half full
I then went on a wild herb search~
And when I got down by the river again
I got my self a pool trapped perch~
Added it as well to the Irish stew
With bush herbs and thickened with some flour~
And I can tell in awhile it smelt so good
And they'd be due back in about an hour~
I had honey I'd robbed from a distant hive
So I made a patty cake or two~
With what flour I had left at the time
Yep .... That'll surely do~
Well when they got back the aroma drifted
And they picked it up coming down the track~
And couldn't wait to eat the whole lot
And complimented the cook then for the snack~
The city bloke that did all the complaining
About running out of food~
Said he was sorry that he went on a bit
And didn't mean to be at all rude~
He said I'd have died if I had to eat bush Tucker
And believe me it is true~
In all my life .. including the wife
Never tasted a better Irish stew~
Terrence Michael Sutton
copyright 1970 .. now 2018
Simply days drive from anywhere at all~
We were camped on the side of a river bank
Not far from a wet season come water fall~
We were running out of food to some extent
I assured them all we were just fine~
That I as camp cook had enough to last us
And tonight as usual we were all going to dine~
We were way up there on a top end fishing trip
And I'd been up there a good few times before~
Where the best fish were only ever caught
In a land that I came to adore~
One bloke there had a friend with him
Who was a real city well fed chum~
And he kept boasting how his wife could cook
As he sat swigging on the last of his ***~
I knew they were going up stream for the day
To fish and do some prospecting up the way~
And I told them tonight a real Irish stew
And he replied that sounds real good mate ay~
He said no way I could eat that bush tucker
I got to have whats proper and comes from shops~
I don't eat that out back wild bush Tucker stuff
It'll never ever get pass or through my chops~
But an Irish stew yes that'll sure do
And it sounds real good to me~
When we get back from up the track
I'll have my share of that you wait an see~
So they eventually left in one direction
And I eventually left in the other~
Hoping the thick bushland would act as
To my rifle shots a cover~
I shot a Roo and a Goanna later on
A Bandicoot and soon one wild cat~
And then I shot a large wild parrot
Got a young croc in the water and headed back~
A little ways from the camp where we were
I used a fallen log as a butchers block~
And then I got this big bucket full
Of meaty bits right to the top~
The fire now lit and big cooking *** half full
I then went on a wild herb search~
And when I got down by the river again
I got my self a pool trapped perch~
Added it as well to the Irish stew
With bush herbs and thickened with some flour~
And I can tell in awhile it smelt so good
And they'd be due back in about an hour~
I had honey I'd robbed from a distant hive
So I made a patty cake or two~
With what flour I had left at the time
Yep .... That'll surely do~
Well when they got back the aroma drifted
And they picked it up coming down the track~
And couldn't wait to eat the whole lot
And complimented the cook then for the snack~
The city bloke that did all the complaining
About running out of food~
Said he was sorry that he went on a bit
And didn't mean to be at all rude~
He said I'd have died if I had to eat bush Tucker
And believe me it is true~
In all my life .. including the wife
Never tasted a better Irish stew~
Terrence Michael Sutton
copyright 1970 .. now 2018
