Saturday 15 August 2015

Hobo


We called him Hobo
A stray dog from who knows where
But he stayed with us

He was a bitser
Quite a strange combination
With a heart of gold

He joined our kids gang
So went everywhere with them
Come rain hail or shine

Loved it down the creek
Chasing them over the hill
Following them home

He slept all alone
Despite hairs found in their beds
He was one of them

Friend from the country
Said there was Dingo in him
Hobo just shook his head

He yelped in his sleep
Telling us about his past
Lost in his dreamtime


Australian terms used:

Bitser - Australian mongrel dog
Dingo - Australia wild native dog
Dreamtime - Australian aboriginal mythology
Hobo - Australian tramp or wanderer

Image found www.feral-heart.com


25 comments:

  1. Thanks for the word definitions, and the poem is so special. It is funny when dogs "talk" in their sleep. My puppy does that a lot.

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  2. Always good to have a free spirit in our pack - where else would we get our stories (of course;)

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  3. I love a stray that becomes a friend. We have one now, although it's a cat, not a dog.

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  4. I especially like the way you put together trios of snippets in their short-haired form to describe your Hobo (nice touch about hairs on bed and slept alone)

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  5. makes me wish i had pets as a kid

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  6. Dogs are such faithful companions. Delightful read :D

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  7. Hobo just shook his head... love that!

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  8. This is so sweet and heart warming :)

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  9. i knew all the rest but i didnt know Bitser, learned something new and luv this haiku sequence a lovely story told Hobo i think is in all your readers heart by now

    Have a good Sunday Robin

    much love...

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  10. lovely.. stray dogs usually have big and warm hearts.

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  11. Did you really?
    My first dogs name was hobo. He was my best friend. Used to let me lay on his back as he walked around. He is the earliest friend I remember.

    We went and saw "Max" last night about the rescue dogs/tracking dogs from the military. It is a wonderful story.

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  12. Enjoyed this...my dogs don't yelp in their sleep. I think that would be a bit eerie. If this poem is true, it really is a touching story.

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  13. How lovely when a stray dog becomes a friend.. The last stanza with the connection to the aboriginal mythology is especially strong.

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  14. I like the stray dog became part of the group or family ~ Who really knows his past, but happy to read that he has a heart of gold ~

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  15. When a stray dog becomes a family - precious moments will naturally come their way, Robin.

    I just finished watching the movie "Hachiko Monogatari (Story of Hachi) - it's not a stray dog but the dog suddenly became a part of the family

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  16. It is good that he found a place he could call home...had to smile at the part he shook his head. So sad dreamtime stirs memories that make him yelp.

    A relative of mine took in a rescued dog and I have never heard it bark. He has a gentle soul and I wonder why he doesn't bark not a sound. What has been done to him in the past? He is so loveable

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  17. I'm sure he had a chequered past and one worth dreaming about! A delightfully reflective piece.

    Visit Keith's Ramblings!

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  18. Enjoyed your incorporation of Australian terms :-)

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  19. Dogs are the best really--thank you for including the definitions---

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  20. Oh, I love him and the story of his happy life, running gloriously with his pack of kids............especially poignant, him yelping in his dreamtime......maybe remembering the sad time before he found you all.

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  21. What a fabulous dog and tribute to him...just a great being....and I love how you worked these perfect Australian words into the poem Robin. I knew all but one. :)

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  22. Sometimes its the hobos of the world that have hearts of gold.

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  23. We had a hobo stray as well when I was growing up...Inky...so glad God gave us these creatures.

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