Boat people ...where have they all gone?

Views in Verse - on life's little mysteries.

Tony Abbott isn't saying much about how he has managed to turn back the boats and his Minister tells us mid week that we "won't be hearing any more". But yet I must say that I love a good mystery.






What is Tony's secret that he had to first totally offend Indonesia's first family to kick off his strategy? Was it his ex army general moving around the offloading ports with perhaps para-military tactics in the turning tide of persuasion?

Is it maybe the old boats we were buying from the peasants of these ports ...bit of a long shot one. Or indeed maybe the newly commissioned ones he is buying; which are launched at approaching boat people from naval ships much like a 'torpedo being fired'? Perhaps they are hitting their marks???

Or did Tony realize that the biggest issue that led to our glut of arrivals under Julia was indeed that the smugglers were clever enough to give part of their takings to the capricious onshore Indonesian officials? Perhaps Tony (noted counter puncher that he is) has flung some well earned taxpayer dollars at these same ham-fisted trolls.

But whatever be  the strategy that has really quashed the arrivals ...we are never to know or so it seems. And that always intrigues me. Because ...as I said ...I love a good mystery.




The Passing  of Ol' Salt

It was a very long night
at the Drunken Prawn
After the best catch
for many-a-year
They arrived late at the dock that day
to find what only 'fisho's' fear...

Red eyes were agog
in amazement...
to see the olde girl slipping from view
Ol' Salt was 'past her use by date'
But their only real 'earner' too

In the 'fisho's' eyes
She was the 'pride-o-the fleet'
since before my Pop was alive;
the barnacles all got up
and danced that day...
the day that Ol' Salt died"

Oh the barnacles all got up
and danced that day...
the day that Ol' Salt died
And the song they sang
to a cloudless sky could be
Heard for many a mile:

"Ol' Salt she's done her bit...
the catch is in plain sight"
"There's nothing like
some mighty hard work
for building an appetite"
"Heave her to the left"
heave her to the right...."
"We'll bring her back
Full of fish today
so we all eat well tonite!"

It was said:
"She served seven sad masters
...a nastier bunch couldn't be!"
The lads had not a good word
for any-o-them
Except for their skipper - McGee

The barnacles were singing
'Captain's Call'
McGee sang it loud every day
But whatever could inspire
Mere crustaceans
to so warble away?

As she tossed and rolled
The crew were shocked
For what they couldn't ignore
was the barnacle choir
in a fevered pitch
singing Skip's own song once more!

When that was done
They paled as one
with something horrid forming
For the captain it seemed
was last thing seen, below, drunk...
and snoring...?

They found no sign of the Captain that day
They all left that same Fall
But not before each of them telling
different stories one and all
And me...
I stood on the dockside too
But I was way too young to recall

And so
the legend lives on
In story and song
Of whatever happened that day
Was it the whiskey talking,
a crew in mourning...
Or seagulls attempting Bizet?



Sent from my iPad - Grahame J Flynn