Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, BUCKED OFF ITS BRAND, by ROBERT ALEXANDER FAIRLY


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

BUCKED OFF ITS BRAND, by                    
First Line: Take my word! He could buck, could brown baron
Last Line: That a horse couldn't buck off its brand!
Alternate Author Name(s): F., R. A.
Subject(s): Animals; Crime & Criminals; Horses; Trials


Take my word! he could buck, could Brown Baron;
And to ride! who could ride like Long Jack?
There was never a thing born with hair on
Could throw him when once on its back.

In the crush went on saddle and bridle,
And he set Jack a go pretty hard;
But his previous efforts seemed idle
When we flung down the rails of the yard.

A few bucks, and the gear was all lying—
Busted girths, broken bit—on the sand;
And away through the trees he went flying—
Nothing on him but Jack and the brand.

Through the paddock the Baron went sailing;
Jack was keeping him straight with his hat
When we saw him jump over the railing
At the creek on the Kurrajong Flat.

And then—where on earth were they hidden?—
Though the boss swore he'd soon have 'em back,
And rode as he never had ridden,
The traps had to start on their track.

But Jack was not beaten by trifles,
And, when he and the Baron were found,
It took four police, ditto rifles,
Ere the long- un set foot on the ground.

When we came to examine the Baron,
All the brand-mark had disappeared clean:
'Twas the horse, we could swear—a great scar on
The place where the Z9 had been.

Jack explained, in the dock at his trial,
That the horse slung his brand on the track;
To the charge gave indignant denial—
Said when caught he was just coming back.

Jack sits now on stones for a saddle
And for reins has a hammer in hand,
'Cause an ignorant Judge chose to twaddle
That a horse couldn't buck off its brand!





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