State to State (Chants from Walkabouts - 2)

Poem 5 of 230:  STATE TO STATE

(TUNE - IN THE KEY OF C MAJOR:

C2 F2 G2 F3
C2 F2 G2 F3
C2 F2 G2 F3
C2 F2 G2 F3
F2 G2 F2 C3
F2 G2 F2 C3
F2 G2 F2 C3
C2 F2 F2 F3) 

From Sydney Town,
    In uni. break,
I drove south-west
    To earnings make
Onion picking,
    On the fields
Of Echuca,
    That year’s yields.

                                          After day’s work,
                                              From Y.H.A.,
                                          A group of us
                                              Would not delay
                                          To walk on down
                                              To the dirt rim
                                          Of the Murray -
                                              For a cool swim.

On one such day,
    I do declare,
Some three of us
    Had a big dare
To swim across,
    From state to state,
The wide Murray -
    I took the bait.

                                            Yes, foolishly,
                                                 I took the bait -
                                             A choice that I
                                                 Would come to hate,
                                             For I almost
                                                 Did drown that date,
                                             Making the swim
                                                 From state to state.

(C) David Franks 2003
From http://walkaboutsverse.blogspot.com