The Days of Dinkum Dodger - Volume I: Dinkum Dodger, #1

By John Saomes

Australian Bush Poetry at its best…entertaining, thought-provoking, hilariously funny, and deftly serious.

Comical antics and outrageous yarns as told by the infamous Dinkumous J. Dodger, a true blue Aussie larrikin, are iconically Australian.

Political correctness is swept aside and daring opinions are openly expressed to challenge governments, politicians, and international conspirators. Probing questions are posed about political motivations, foreign manipulation, and Australia's place in the world.

Often nostalgic, harking back to the simplicity and old world charm of a by-gone era, the poetry of John Saomes will tickle your funnybone and challenge your thinking.

Series: Dinkum Dodger

Volume: 1

Length: 114 pages

• Language: English
• Publisher: John Saomes
• Release date: Aug 24, 2018
• ISBN: 9780994291004

Book preview

Part I

Laughing Matters

Dinkum Laughing

School Days

Why was ya late young Dodger?

the ageing teacher asked.

"Tis very nearly smoko time!

Stand up and tell the class."

---

"Why was ya late young Dodger?

The second time this week!

And as it’s only Tuesday,

should I give ya tail a tweak?"

---

"Or does ya have a good excuse

for why ya wasn’t ‘ere?

Pray, tell us boy. Where has ya been?

Speak up so all can hear!"

---

"Please Sir, well, it rained last night

and muddied up the track!

And every step I took uphill,

I slided two steps back!"

---

"For every uphill step I made,

I slided two steps down!

But then I got a bright idea!

I turned me’self around!"

---

"One step down made two steps up

and over the hill I came!"

The teacher pursed his wrinkled brow

and limbered up the cane!

---

Well Dodger had it coming.

He was never there on time.

And as the teacher swished his tail

he said this little rhyme.

---

"There’s marks for ‘magination

and exuberance of youth,

and marks for ingenuity,

but none for tellin’ truth!

The idea of turning backwards to slide up over the hill came from an episode of ‘Yes, What’, an Australian radio comedy by Rex Dawe. The character Greenbottle is often late for class and this is one of his ingenious excuses. The radio series originally aired from 1936 to 1941.

Outhouse Blues

Dodger’s Dad loved guavas.

He’d eaten quite a few!

A bout of diarrhoea

sent him out back to the loo!

---

He sat so long a storm blew