UP AT SPARROW FART
By Brian Kelly
We are on the board out at Moolahway
And it’s now well after eight,
And still we haven’t started
For the roustabout is late.
This rather did surprise us
For he seemed so keen to go,
And for months he has been asking
Sparrow do you know.
When they’re starting out at Cottons,
Can you let me know the date,
When they’re starting out at Cottons,
You be sure and tell me mate.
Sparrow duly did inform him
He was wanted the next morn,
And the rousie he assured him,
He’d be there at crack of dawn.
But we waited for an hour
Many angry words were said,
Till the boss he went a looking
And found him still in bed.
When awakened from his slumber
He stated with a frown,
I depended on that Sparrow
And he’s gone and let me down.
Well he fronted up to Sparrow
And with bad language he did state,
I’m disappointed in you fellow
For I thought you were a mate.
But I let you know last evening
Whilst a beer we did enjoy,
He said, EH! Come out of it Sparrow,
Come out of it boy!!
There along the shearing board
The weary shearers lay,
To rest their tired and aching bones,
In the middle of the day.
When Sparrow on his elbow rose,
And slyly looked about,
He thought no one would notice,
So he let a sneaker out.
To think no one would notice
Was wishful thinking at its best,
For he had quite a reputation
In the sheds about the west.
And many a dog had got the blame,
And felt a well aimed boot,
And wondered “what the hell that’s for”
As it went howling down the chute.
Well those shearers to their feet did leap,
And in haste they did depart,
Now you know the meaning of that saying,
They were up at Sparrow fart.