Outback Trek: Hebel Dreams

I dreamt upon
the flight of night
riding the backseat
of a V8 Ford Pilot
whilst a Corporate Shaman
was stealthily installing
into my right arm
a mechanism
powered by lithium
that would recharge
my iPhone
disseminate information
and track me on my trek
across an outback desert
I asked . . .
was this for my benefit
or the Corporation’s?
A vow of silence
prevented him
from answering

I dreamt I was standing
at the Hebel Town crossroads
looking to the west
across a vast dry wilderness
to behold the Devil’s Marbles
laying patiently in wait

I dreamt of blazing a trail
to the east coast
past the lacerating
flagellating Skroo Yoo Trees
of the Daintree Rainforest
leading a band of boys lost
seeking a grander Neverland
A didgeridoo voodoo child
named Jimmy
who sang the corroboree blues
a cranky cassowary
and a Spirit Emu wearing shoes
Nike cross trainers obviously
But that’s another Dreamtime story

I dreamt of things
monolithic
yet strangely bent

. . . made miraculously straight

I dreamt of fording gorges deep

. . . to find living water

I dreamt of a smooth landing
arriving early to a red carpet event
apparently some kind of wedding
complete with an open bar
and a banquet most enticing
The host of the celebration
had sent a universal invitation
. . . and would soon be arriving

I dreamt I was an illustration
in a Never Never publication;
‘The Messy Revenge of Captain Hook’
(not recommended for small children)
Perhaps finally I’ll be allowed
to get a tattoo like Uncle Kevin’s
now I have the skin of that croc
who bit me on the shin ๐Ÿฆถ๐ŸŠ
and nearly … but not quite
did me in after putting up a fight
that lasted well into the night

“In your dreams, punk.
You must first earn the right
in a one on one fair fight
to ‘Tatt the Croc’. You used
a taser and a pocket knife,
and that just ain’t right!”

~ Uncle Kevin

Show us your tatts, Uncle Kev!

The infamous Skroo Yoo tree
of the Australian tropical north coast
(no relative of the English Yew tree).

. . . the journey continues โžก๏ธ

Words and Photography:
~ David B. Redpath ยฉ 2018-2023

Photography:
David & Linda Redpath ยฉ 2018-2023
+ Anthony Beverly (RIP) ยฉ 2018-2023

141 thoughts on “Outback Trek: Hebel Dreams”

      1. It’s Aunty Hilary, of the gecko tattoo. Take care & safe travels mate. May catch you on the road again one day. Keep on keeping on mate xx

        Liked by 2 people

  10. I had to take a pit stop part way
    to say “flagellating Skroo Yoo Trees”
    out loud
    to the amusement of many passerbys.
    I hope you defeat that croc someday
    in your next dream
    to receive your prized ink work.

    Liked by 5 people

    Reply

  18. “I asked
    was this for my benefit
    . . . or theirs?”

    Great line, David! Where’s Vanna White when you need to buy a vowel? Wow, I like Uncle Kevinโ€™s tatts, but of course you knew I would. The photos are terrific as are the Skroo Yoo trees! Have a great week ahead. ~ Mia

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  23. A most delightful poem, David.

    I love those lines about a Corporate Shaman installing in your right arm a mechanism powered by lithium.

    Thereโ€™s nothing like being totally connected.

    That old mantra All Is One has become literally true.

    Is there actually a tree in Australia ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ called the Skroo Yoo tree?

    If one got into its sharp prickly points, it looks like youโ€™d be screwed indeed.

    Liked by 4 people

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    1. Thanks Chris. I’m no botanist,
      but them Skroo Yoo trees sure
      do exist (ouch!).
      They’re the unofficial flora
      emblem of the Australian
      tropical north east coast. The Cooktown Orchard just
      didn’t cut it (wasn’t tough and manly enough).
      As for the actual botanical name?
      I know you’re a keen botonist,
      Chris, but I don’t have a clue.

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      Reply

      8. You are very lucky Walt
        to be so close. We have a Townsville Country Music
        Festival ๐ŸŽถ. That’s when
        the boys from the bush
        are back in town . . .

        “Been shearing sheep,
        we been mustering stock
        We been culling out roots,
        we been spraying the crops
        We’ve been droving cattle
        up an old stock route
        Now its Saturday night,
        we pile in the yute
        Were the boys from the bush
        and were back in town
        Well the dogs in the back
        and the foot goes down
        Were life members of the outback club
        Were the boys from the bush
        come in from the scrub
        Been out in the heat,
        we been loading the trucks
        Been fixing fences,
        we been choking on dust
        We curse the rain
        we curse the drought
        Now its Saturday night
        and were all in the shout
        We get high when
        the sun goes down
        We work the land
        through fire and flood
        Its in our hearts,
        it runs in the blood
        Well we raise hell
        when the sun goes down
        We get high
        when the sun goes down”
        ~Lee Kernaghan
        `Boys from the Bushยดย 

        Liked by 2 people

    1. Yes, beware the Corporate Shaman,
      Jonathan.He’ll put a chip in your arm
      so you can buy your hearts desire all
      the way to that Highway to Hell ๐Ÿ”ฅ
      But remember, you’ll need that
      transaction chip to pay the toll ๐Ÿค‘
      As they say . . .
      “Don’t leave home without it!” ๐Ÿค”๐Ÿ•ถ๏ธ

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. No, sadly I haven’t qualified to get that
      Croc Tatt๐ŸŠ yet, Priti. The rules are very
      strict, and Uncle Kev is a stickler for the
      rules. You must win with just your bare
      hands โœ‹๐Ÿ˜Ž๐Ÿคš

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  29. Iโ€™ll have what youโ€™re smoking although the messy revenge of Captain Hook seems a tad extreme, unless Pan is an ugly reprobate visiting bordellos while Wendy pines and snorts coke. Crude jokes aside, great poem David ๐Ÿ˜Š

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    1. The great Australian outback can
      come as a crude shock to many ๐Ÿ˜ฑ
      so no need to be sorry ๐Ÿ‘ But yes,
      I may owe J.M. Barrie an apology ๐Ÿ˜Ž
      as this entire crocodile imbroglio
      came as a big blow ๐ŸŒฌ๏ธ to Wendy
      who flew off with Tinkerbell ๐Ÿงš and
      instantly became a fairy of snow โ„๏ธ

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  30. a wonderful rollicking fantasy, David: I loved every line of it, each madcap adventure, and the character of Uncle Kevin; my two favourite lines: ‘I dreamt I was an illustration/ in a Never-Never publication’ ๐Ÿ™‚

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    1. Thanks John ๐Ÿ™ As it happens
      I often find myself lost and
      wondering if I’m actually real ๐Ÿค”๐Ÿ•ถ๏ธ
      but then my darling wife, Linda
      (no relative of Wendy Darling)
      claps her hands ๐Ÿ‘ saying she
      believes in me ๐Ÿ˜Ž
      Talking of J.M.Barrie, Linda and I
      visited the real Neverland when in
      Scotland. According to the locals,
      It’s a picturesque island in the
      middle of a loch not far from the
      Isle of Skye.

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      2. This particular loch has a train track
        running alongside. J.M.Barrie would
        catch the train on his way to work
        as a young journalist in London and
        was inspired by the sight of this
        pine tree covered island. Well, that’s
        the story I was told by a local
        fishing boat captain as we sailed
        past on a sunny midsummer morn ๐ŸŒž
        Loch Carron was full of playful seals,
        and I found myself believing his
        every word ๐Ÿ˜Ž

        Liked by 1 person

  33. Uncle Kevโ€™s got that right
    When you put up a fight with a crocodile
    You have to do it in style
    First a suplex and then a right hook
    And then throw the Encyclopaedia Britannica, A-C book
    Arm wrestling after, under the S-Y tree
    And then a Dance Dance battle on the Nintendo Wii

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    1. In a throw down
      with a creature
      all scaly green and irritable ๐ŸŠ
      the best option is arm wrestling
      as it takes those razor sharp teeth
      off the table
      and crocs have a lot of trouble
      keeping an elbow
      on that very table
      and holding it stable
      while giving them a tickle
      Yet still no easy beat
      as this prehistoric beast
      really loves to cheat
      and is always frantic
      for that next victory feast

      Yes Tanmay
      Uncle Kevin is a living legend
      up in the Aussie top end
      as an alpha croc hunter
      I haven’t had the heart to tell him
      that since the 1970’s
      crocodiles in Australia
      are a protected species
      so it’s illegal to kill them
      and they’ve never been happier
      … or hungrier
      A croc-idyllic situation

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. It’s a whole different view
      of the Universe ๐Ÿ‘๏ธโ™พ๏ธ๐Ÿ‘๏ธ
      when the red carpet
      you are floating upon
      is dreaming of you ๐Ÿค”๐Ÿ•ถ๏ธ
      Thanks for bubbling along,
      Cindy ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿ’– ๐Ÿ˜Ž

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  35. Love those old cars from the 40’s. How sad is that pic of the bloke playing the didge outside a freaking McD’s! I did do a trip to Daintree & Cape Trib 20’ish years ago – don’t recall seeing any scroo yoo trees though!

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    1. Yes Garry, in the Aussie outback there
      is a McDonald’s restaurant situated
      right in the thick of a Skroo Yoo forest.
      If you turn right at the Black Stump
      and venture out into the Never Never
      you’ll find those Skroo Yoo trees just
      about everywhere.
      Thanks for taking the time to hit the
      beaten track … not taken ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿ˜Ž

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. I’ve been misled, Christopher!
      A special agent from Wall Street
      told me it was a Marks & Spencer
      Transaction Implant.

      from a limb
      overhanging the garden
      I spend my time
      peeking into
      Desolation Row
      where insurance men
      keep a watch list
      full of information
      on who’s to stay
      and who should go
      after placing
      a price on carbon
      and an embargo
      on personal freedom
      for all carbon based
      life forms
      especially human
      Why?
      I just don’t know
      best not to ask
      and do like the rest
      wearing a frown
      upon a rearranged face
      under a protective mask
      with absolutely no purpose
      and no concept
      of style and grace
      arrogance and pride
      cometh before a fall
      only God’s love
      keeps me hanging on
      to this grafted branch
      after saying yes
      to a whispered call
      in the distance
      the murmur of a prayer
      a gentle reminder
      should I really care?
      down below
      on Desolation Row
      it’s not dark yet
      but it’s getting there

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