Driven Dust

Before the dawn of the long night drive

The cold air stings

The sleep-deprived

They write in their log

The time arrived

 

Then wait until the rig’s uncoupled

They sleep like the dead

But it’s sleep that’s troubled

When loads are wide

And loads are doubled.

 

The diesel fills the long-range tanks

And as they step up on the sideboard planks

The failing sun calls in its ranks

And the night will drive their load.

 

As the high beam splits the spinifex

There’s a whistle as the fuel injects

And the windscreen gathers night insects

As Troy and Lee and Slim expect

That we would play their new cassette

 

The deadline sets the speed at bust

And it drags the fine and earthen crust

Into swirling vortices of dust

The gears hard-worn and double clutched.

 

Those long hard nights on the bitumen

And hard hauled canvas

Paints its picture when

The signal on the ‘CB’ fades

And the loneliness of night invades

 

The constant reverberating drone

So far away,  thoughts turn to home.

A truckie’s lot, his back is shot

It’s all he knows, it’s all he’s got

 

Before the dawn

Before the cold

Before his time

He’s gotten old

 

His life is given to the road

Perhaps this much a truckie’s owed:

A moment where we share his load

And to read this Royal Easter ode!

 

They won’t complain

That’s not their game

As each will haul their load for crust

Across the Great Dividing dust.

 

No knife nor fork nor dinner plate

And harder now to keep a mate

And read the news,  it’s three days late.

 

A corrugated distant stare

And roadkill swamps the cabin air

At least in death we sometimes share

A life a thousand miles past care

 

And the radio’s a handheld friend

In every rig they must content

With trailing voices

Beyond all choices

This driven dusty road.

 

A day, a week,  a month away

As you drink your pain and pay away

You knew that she would never stay

Write in the log and collect your pay

 

…Always said goodbye

                       before you said g’day.