THE DROVER'S DREAM


One night when travelling sheep my companions lay asleep
There was not a star to illuminate the sky.
I was dreaming I suppose, for my eyes were partly closed,
When a very strange procession passed me by.

First there came a kangaroo with a swag of blankets blue
And the dingo ran beside him as his mate.
Thet were tavelling mighty fast but they shouted as they passed,
"We'll have to jog along, it's getting late."

The pelican and the crane they came in from off the plain
To amuse the company with a Highland fling.
The dear old bandicoot played a tune upon his flute
And the native bears sat round him in a ring.

The drongo and the crow sang us songs of long ago
And the frilled neck lizard listened with a smile.
The emu standing near with his claw up to his ear
said, "Funniest thing I've heard for quite a while."

The frogs from out the swamp where the atmosphere is damp
Came bounding in and sat upon the stones.
They each unrolled their swags and produced from little bags
The violin, the banjo and the bones.

The goanna and the snake and the adder wide awake
With an alligator danced "The Soldier's Joy."
In the spreading silky oak the jackass cracked a joke
And the magpie sang "The Wild Colonial Boy."

Some brolgas darted out from the tea-tree all about
And performed a set of Lancers very well.
The parrot green and blue gave the orchestra its cue
To strike up "The Old Log Cabin In the Dell,"

I was dreaming I suppose, of these entertaining shows
But it never crossed my mind I was asleep;
Till the boss beneath the cart woke me up with such a start
Yelling, "Dreamy, where the hell are all the sheep?"