If you live in the Newcastle,Lake Macquarie area

and you read the papers,watch the news or surfed

the net,you would have heard of the great white shark

that has been sighted in the lake.

Seeing that the water is salty,the great white feels right

at home.

It swims around,moving it’s tail from side to side.

It loves to feast and roam.

It was first spotted a few weeks ago,by some fishermen

in a boat.

What a surprise,they couldn’t believe their eyes.

Now that is something worthy to note.

This great white is different from the other sharks.

It has a couple of notches in it’s rear fin.

But the great white couldn’t care less,it just wants some

din din.

But the thing you notice the most,is a big hook in the corner

of it’s gob.

God it must be painful,it must hurt a bit.

With the notches in it’s fin,and a hook in it’s mouth,it sure

does stick out from the mob.

So this great white,with the overbite,because of the hook

It’s real name is George,but his friends call him,the sook.

They are all over his constant whining and moaning.

They say’Come on be a man,grow up and go grow a pair’

‘Cause,if you don’t you can go live away from here.’

‘If you don’t stop complaining,you can go and live in the lake.

‘So go on,give us all some peace for heavens sake.

So George the great white with an overbite,leaves his home

and swims into the lake,into the great unknown.

For the first time in his life he is on his own.

He is feeling a bit down,he has never been this far from home.

So George the great white with the overbite,swims around

aimlessly,his mouth is really sore.

He tries to ignore the pain,he tries with all his might.

But he knows that he needs some help,he cant stand it anymore.

Two kids are splashing around,fooling around in the water off

Croudace Bay.

One of the kids notice’s a fin, and screams out SHARK,plus

a few words that his mother would never say.

The fin begins to circle around,and the kids are becoming a bit

frantic.

A few more choice words come out of their mouth’s.

Their eye’s are as big as saucer’s,and their stomach’s are

heading south.

George the great white,does’nt understand,he doesn’t mean

them any harm.

He just wants this pesky hook removed from his mouth.

He really could use some sort of balm,some sort of pill,or

a magic potion.

Some sort of elixier or some calamine lotion.

The two kids have gone,who said you cant walk on water?

They didn’t just walk,they swam at break neck speed.

They didn’t want to hang around and watch the great white

feed(on them).

George the great white doesn’t understand what all the fuss

is about.

Why wont somebody help him?

George is becoming depressed,he is missing his family and

friends.

He just want’s to get back to normal,he just want’s his mouth

and heart to mend.

He really need’s to eat,but because of the hook and overbite

he cant get his mouth to close.

It’s razor sharp teeth are pretty useless,if he cant close his

mouth.

George is getting desperate,he really cant take it anymore.

And with a shake of his tail he swims towards to shore.

Bill and Bob are two employee’s at Bolton Point Marina.

They are on a lunch break,eating pie’s with sauce.

One is short and skinny,the other looks like Frank Farina.

They are running late of course.

Heading back to work,they look towards the water.

And they cant believe their eye’s,a great white shark,has

beached itself near the boat shed.

It is shaking it’s body,and has something sticking out of

it’s head.

They race down to the shore line to get a better look,they

cant believe what they are seeing.

They look in it’s mouth and see a dirty great big hook.

And think’Now that is gonna take some freeing.’

George the great white,has come to realise,that maybe

help has arrived

He is getting weak,he is that he is still alive.

He is hoping to be free before the next low tide.

Bill and Bob meanwhile have gone to get some tools,a

hammer,screwdriver and some plier’s,and a saw.

They mightn’t look like it,but they are nobody’s fool’s.

They arrive back at the water’s edge,a crowd has gathere

around.

You could hear a pin drop,nobody makes a sound.

Bill and Bob are a bit wary,they don’t want to lose a finger

or their arms.

So gingerly Bob probed with the plier’s,and with a squishy

sound the hook came free.

George has half of hisbody up on the sand.

He doesn’t know if he will make it

But make it he will,you’ll see.

George start’s to rock back and forth,trying to return to the

water.

Bill and Bob,and a few of the other bystander’s,rush to give

a helping hand.

And they push George into the water and off the sand.

George cant believe it,he is foot loose and fancy free

With a shake of his tail he heads toward the mouth of the lake,

at a place called Swansea.

He is going home to his family,he is leaving the lake and going

back to the deep blue sea.

Did George really leave?No one really know’s

Just be careful where you swim,cause anything goes!

Around 10,000 years ago,in the last ice age

Lived a clan of people,who lived in a dangerous

rage.

Their quality of life was being taken away

They were getting taken over by a rival clan

and they weren’t going to have a say

The children of the clan were playing around

And they decided to build a snowman,that looked

like a clown.

So with buttons for eyes and a carrot for a nose

it looked sort of like a clown I suppose.

The kids didn’t know that the adults were in a bit

of a dilemma.

If things kept on going on the same course.

Things were going to go from bad to worse.

The snowman meanwhile felt the vibrations of the

conflict.

And every time he felt the vibrations he started to

melt.

His emotions were spilling over,they were heart felt.

The snowman was just standing there,it was stuck

in place.

It was still melting,there was a patch missing from

his face.

As long as the conflict lasted the snowman would

continue to melt.

He felt every vibration,he was shrinking,he needed

another notch in his belt.

The rival clan came down from the mountains,and

struck just before day break.

They were met with little resistance,the walls of the

city crumbled.

Just get it over and done with for goodness sake.

The snowman who was originally five foot tall.

Was now only four foot,i guess you could call him

small.

The leader of the losing clan was trying to fight the

fight.

But the rival clan had taken too big of a bite.

The snowman was melting faster then a block

of ice.

This rival clan were nasty,they weren’t very nice.

The leader of the losing clan was calling for

reinforcements.

He was calling out far and wide.

He wanted to fight like a man,not run and hide.

The snowman was still melting,he could feel the

badness in the air.

There was an evil stench that that permenated

everywhere.

The leader of the losing clan was trying to fight

off the invaders.

But he was running out of men,and he couldn’t

stop the misbehavers.

The snowman was melting still,if the fighting didn’t

stop,he would be nothing more then a puddle.

So before he melted away to nothing.

The snowman looked to the sky,closed his eyes

and said a little prayer.

He wished for a miracle,cause he could see that the

options,were few and far between.

They were being defeated by the invaders,those

nasty misbehavers.

The invaders meanwhile had gathered in the town hall

to celebrate the upcoming victory.

But they celebrated too much,there was too much drinking

Their brains had stop thinking,and they didn’t see the

warning signs.

The snowman was still melting,but it had slowed down.

He looked to the heavens and saw the black clouds

gathering.

It looked like his prayer was being answered.

Then there was an almighty bang,as the thunder and

lightning rolled in.

The snowman said a silent thanks,it looked like goodness

was going to prevail.

A drone of lightning hit the town hall,with an electrifying

flash.

The invaders had done their dash.

The town hall caught on fire,the invaders inside in all the

confusion couldn’t find the door.

You could hear the screams from five miles away,or more.

Not one invader escaped the inferno.

They paid the ultimate price for trying to take something

that wasn’t theirs to take.

They have all gone to their graves,because they misbehaved

They wont do it again that is for sure.

The snowman meanwhile has stopped melting altogether.

He is standing upright and proud.

He is back to his usual height.

The town has won the good fight.

Everything is back to normal,the kids are running around

and throwing snow balls.

You can smell the goodness in the air.

People walk the streets without a care.

The snowman just stands there with a satisfied look on

on his face.

All the fighting and all the melting,are just a memory.

The snowman stands there,watching,waiting,anticipating

because he knows winter wont last forever.

Soon the sun will shine ,and the snowman,and the snowman

will begin to fade away,that is for sure.

And then the snowman will be no more.

Sitting on my back verandah enjoying a cup of tea

and a bikkie.

Thinking later maybe me and the missus will have

time for a quickie.

While I was pondering that thought something caught

my eye.

Down at the back of the garden,near the fountain,sits

a little gnome.

Red and white,it stands about 30cms tall.

I had bought it for a dollar,about a year ago,from a

market stall.

But I am digressing,I am only guessing,but I am only

sure I am not losing my mind.

Cause I am sure that when I last looked at the ghome

it’s arms were pointing straight to the ground.

Now they are pointing straight at me,like it wants me to

pick it up.

Well in for a penny in for a pound.

I am still half thinking about my bikkie and the sex.

Well I get up from my chair,wondering what is going to

happen next.

As I got closer to the gnome,it starts to wave it’s arms about.

I bent down to get a closer look.

When the gnome spat in my face,and said’Piss off you sook’.

I was taken aback,i thought the gnome was being friendly,but

he was anything but.

They say actions can give you pain,but words leave a deeper

cut.

I was still getting over the fact that the gnome was alive and

kicking.

I could see that the gnome thought I was ripe for the picking.

I layed down on the ground so that we could look each other

in the eye.

I was daring him to spit on me again.

He just looked at me with an evil grin and said ‘Have I got a

story for you,let me begin’.

I held up my arms and told him to stop talking,you are a garden

gnome,you are supposed to just stand there all silent not talking

and walking.

He looked at me,and said ‘I might look like a garden gnome,but I

am really a leprechaun,who got abducted when I was born’.

The garden gnome and I went up to my verandah,and I poured

him a cup of tea.

He got comfortable,looked off into the distance and started his

story just for me (and now for you).

He said his mother had told him over the the years,about how

he become to be.

It all started in Ireland in a leprechaun community on the out

skirts of Belfast.

Where my mother married a local lad,but my father drank a

lot,so the marriage didn’t last.

I was born before the marriage took place,and in the leprechaun

world,that is a complete no no.

So my mother became very wary,and she jumped at every sound

because she didn’t want the leprechaun council to come and take

me away.

But take me away they did,just two months after I was born.

My mothers soul was broken,her heart was torn.

They took me to a boy’s home for leprechaun’s born out of wedlock.

It was down there by the river,right near the shipping dock.

I stayed there until I was five years old,then some people from the

leprechaun council came and took me away,again.

They took me to a factory,where they made garden gnome’s.

Where I would be shrunk down to size,set in plaster,but I would

still be alive.

I could feel my surroundings,and I got wet when it rained,birds

do their business on my head,i just stand there,i haven’t even

got a bed.

Jesus what a story,i thought,how could the leprechaun council

be so cruel.

But the leprechaun said that he isn’t angry ‘rule’s are rule’s’.

But then the leprechaun told me some good news.

Every year for one week he becomes a leprechaun again,and

he thinks about his mother and the mew’s.

That week is now,as I am writing this story,the garden gnome

and me talking,who by the way,his name is Cory.

The garden gnome,who is now a leprechaun said ‘I only have

a week,so let’s make the most of it.

So we went camping,fishing,every day was crammed full of

fun and adventure.

On the last day the leprechaun told me that he had to be back

in his spot in the garden by midnight,ot there would be consequences

of that he is sure.

So we had one last talk,one last cup of tea.

And that is the story of the garden gnome and me.

Where does dust come from?

It is all through my house

maybe it comes in on the fur

of a mouse.

Where does dust come from?

It is in my living room

maybe it is swepted in on a

witch’s broom.

Where does dust come from?

I just dusted and it is back way

too soon.

maybe it drifted down from the

dark side of the moon.

Where does dust come from?

maybe a giant sat on all the boulders

and turned them into dust.

Where does dust come from?

Maybe it is from the wings of birds

as they fly around.

And all the feather dust falls to the

ground.

Where does dust come from?

maybe from an erupting volcano

in a far away place.

the dust is so thick it is all over

my face.

Where does dust come from?

maybe from the hooves of horses

as they run down the track

I keep on dusting,but it always

comes back.

Where does dust come from?

maybe from a raging bush fire

as it burns it’s way up the coast

I don’t know about where you live

but it seems to like my place the most

Where does dust come from?

maybe from a tornado,strong enough

to lift up a cow.

that is pretty impressive,that is like,wow

Where does dust come from?

maybe from a rally car,going to fast

around the bend.

maybe this,maybe that,no one really

knows.

dust just appears,it just is.

There is no need to worry

we are all just dust and water

every father and son,mother and

daughter.

In the end just like a car gone to rust

that is what we become,just a speck

of dust.

PS This was a request from my mother

thanks Mum.

I was making a cup of coffee the other day

looking out of the kitchen window

waiting for the kettle to boil

When I spotted a Kookaburra that was on a

bit of a lean.

It was running around in circles it was a sight

to be seen.

It was a lopsided Kookabura,that had something

attached to its left wing.

As I got closer I saw that it was a watch,a Seiko

if you please

It also had something on its knee,some sort of

strapping,an injury,maybe a fight

That lopsided Kookaburra was one freaking

awesome sight.

I went back inside to finish my drink,and was

washing the cup in the kitchen sink

When I heard some tapping coming from my

back door.

The lopsided Kookaburra had somehow made

it up the steps.

The tapping I heard was coming from its beak.

The lopsided Kookaburra didn’t look so good

hungry and kind of weak.

I opened the back door,and Kooka hopped

right on inside.

Then I remembered the neighbours cat that

had a taste for birds.

I hate I cat so much I cant form the words.

I bent down and picked up the lopsided

Kookaburra,and put him on the kitchen

table.

I looked him over,looking for a injury as

much as I was able.

The lopsided Kookaburra was going berserk

flapping its left wing,with its Seiko watch

which I noticed was 20 minutes slow.

I thought how low can a lopsided

Kookaburra go.

I took off the watch and set it to the correct

time.

And the lopsided Kookaburra let out its famous

laugh,that has no rhythm or rhyme.

But instead of returning the watch to its wing

I got a chain and and put the watch around its

neck.

The Kookaburra was no longer lopsided,it was

standing there as proud as punch.

And I realised it was time for lunch.

I got some meat from the fridge and gave it

to the bird.

It ate all the meat and looked hungry for more

But I noticed his eye kept going to the back door.

I opened the door and Kooka spread its wings

and took flight

And without a backward glance was soon out

of sight.

The next morning the tapping was once again

at my door.

The Kookaburra was standing there tapping

out Morse code.

He was saying”I will tell you a story,then  ive

got to hit the road”

Kooka told me why he was wearing the watch.

He told me he was always running late,and that

he and a friend were going on a well travelled

journey.

You see generations of Kookaburras all around

Australia,always do their laugh at 5.10am and

8.05 pm.

So Kooka bought a watch so his laugh was no

longer late.

So now Kooka and his mate are traveling around

handing out watches to all the young Kookaburras

so that they always laugh on time.

But the Kookaburras have to remember not to wear

the watches on their wings,or they will become

lopsided.

So the next time you are going about your business

and at 5.10am or 8.05pm,you hear the Kookaburras

make their noise.

You know that all is fine in the world,girls and boys.

I have just heard about a meeting that took place the

other day.

The Demon and the Angel met for a coffee to have their

say.

They met in a small café,in a back street,somewhere in

Greece.

They talked about a lot of things,but not one word was

said about peace.

The Demon talked about all the subjects that are dear to

him,earthquakes,tidal waves,volcanos erupting,forest fires,

planes going down and suicide bombers.

The Angel talked about world peace,health care for the poor,

housing for everyone,a cure for all diseases,and churches

around the world open 24/7,especially for new comers.

Well they finished their coffee,it was time for dessert.

The Demon looked into the Angels eyes and said

“I am going to make you hurt”

The Angel looked right back and said

“Give it your best shot,cause you are the evil that time has

forgot”

The Demon didn’t take this lying down,he got this look on his

face that would freeze a lake.

The Demon isn’t very good at giving,but he is good at take.

With an almighty roar he transformed into a beast.

Coffee an dessert are over,now it is time to feast.

The Angel goes back home with a worried look on his brow.

He has to stop the Demon,he has to stop this madness somehow.

He picks up his mobile phone,pondering who to call.

The President?The United Nations?

But then he gets the answer,the Pope.

Maybe he has the answer,he is the worlds last hope.

Meanwhile down in the furnace,where you can really feel the heat

The Demon is hatching out a plan,how to kill every man

He is talking to his boss,you know him as the Devil.

He is just like the Demon,but on a completely different level.

They are plotting the complete destruction,they are seeking

wanting the worlds demise.

The Demon wants to see the look on the Angels face when the

world explodes.

Because he is the one person he more then hates,he depises.

Also at around the same time,the Angel and the Pope are also

having a chat

They will do all they can to defeat the man in the black hat.

The Demon has jetted off to a secret location,but I believe it is

somewhere in the south of France.

The Demon will knock Earth off its axis,if you give him half a chance.

The Demon and the Devil,have come up with a cunning plan.

They are talking to all the agnostics around the world men,women

and children.

They want them all to urinate into the rivers and oceans to raise the

water level.

He has one nasty sense of humour that freaking Devil.

The Angel and the Pope have heard all about the plan,they have

a source.

They reach out to a higher power for an answer before things get

worse.

The Angel and the Popehear all the weeing and peeing that is filling

up all the water ways.

The urine of the disbelievers and unforgivers.

The Angel and the Pope go out onto the balcony,and scream out

‘Come on people keep it in your jeans”

Cause they will defeat the Demom by any way any means.

All the cities around the world are being inundated

The peoples will is broken, their hopes deflated.

They watch as all the apartments and homes are swamped

by the foul smelling water.

They can do nothing as their homes are washed away.

The world is awash as the water level continue to rise.

The cities and towns drown,you can hear the peoples

cries.

Back at the Vatican,the Angel and the Pope,know that they

have been defeated.

Evil has won this round,goodness has been unseated.

But in an unknown location,this time in Bangladesh.

The Demon is watching all the mayhem and distress.

The Devil has gone back to hell,for a spell,leaving the

Demon alone to bask in the glory.

The Demon is sitting high up on top of a mountain,a bit

to close to the edge.

He hears a whisper in his ear,it is a voice from above

“Not this time Demon” For goodness will always shine

through.

It is there for everyone,it is there for you.

In all the countries around the world,the survivors,watch

the water level dissipate.

They need to get together before it is too late.

They begin to communicate with each other by telepathic

means.

If you add up all the survivors,it comes to a few thousand,

they live on prayer and corn and beans.

The Demon cant believe it,the win has turned into defeat.

He isn’t thinking straight,and fails to see the danger

He doesn’t see the appearance of the white robed stranger

The Angel has survived,he is tougher then you think.

And before you know it,he has conjured up a huge gust of wind

That knocks the Demon right over the edge.

Well there is one thing that the Demon never did,he never learnt

how to swim.

And the world watches as all the evil and badness disappear

with him.

I was talking to a friend just tonight

About when I put pen to paper

Can people come along and steal

my ideas.

Steal the thoughts from my brain.

Steal the words from my breath.

Can they control my pen and make

me write words that I don’t want to

write.

Can they make me think thoughts I

don’t want to think.

Of course they cant,I know my rights.

I wont give up without a fight.

Cause I got copyright.

When an idea forms in my head,I put

it down on paper.

And then post it on my blog page.

I hope no one is looking over my shoulder

Looking in my front window,or maybe

do a home invasion.

I hope they don’t,cause I know my rights

I wont give up without a fight

Cause I got copyright.

I know my words could someday be known

all around the world.

I wont be able to walk the streets

I will be rich and famous.

My face will appear on the side of buses

I will be Ellen,or some other TV show.

Reading my poems and stories

Covered in fame and glory.

Of course all that is just a dream.

As long as nobody wants to steal my dreams

Steal my ideas right off the page

Steal the thoughts from my head

Steal the girl from my bed.

Can they steal what is mine and mine alone?

Of course they cant,i know my rights

I will fight with all my might

Cause I got copyright.

So go and get your own ideas,reach

inside your own head.

Put your own words down on paper

Start up your own blog page

Cause blogging is the latest thing.

If I can do it anyone can,be your own

man

Just don’t come around here trying to

read what is on my hard drive

Cause as soon as the stories are posted

the copyright is mine.

So don’t try to ride my coat tails

Go tread your own journey

Don’t pinch my ideas and thoughts,go

and think for yourself.

If you try to steal from me I will bring

you down.

I am walking the golden path,i am on

my way

I am floating on diamond dust,in that you

can trust.

Can someone come along and take it all

away?

Of cause they cant,i know my rights

I want give up without a fight

Cause I got copyright

I did a bit of shopping today

I needed a new pair of shoes

I was feeling kind of twitchy

My feet were really itchy,i had

a dose of althetes feet

I had the running shoes blues

I was at the reak of my fitness,

getting PBs,pure performance.

Running fast,running endurance

Running so fast I blew a hole in

my shoes.

I got the running shoes blues.

Running shoes blues

When you run so far,you get yourself

a blister.

Running shoes blues

When you run like a girl

and  people call you sister.

I walk  into a shoe store and jump

onto the treadmill to check what

sort of shoes would be best for feet.

But I ran too fast and landed on my

arse.

I had the running shoes blues.

Running shoes blues

When you run on the road and get

hit by a truck.

You,spin around and go what the fuck!

Running shoes blues

When you go for a run around the lake

One little slip,and you go go for a dip.

Your clothes are soaking wet,and your

shoes are ruined.

I got the running shoes blues

I do the Blackbutt run,the town run,i try

to do them all.

I run at the back of the pack,forcing my

way through the people.

Trying to get to the front.

Maybe if I run so fast,and break a record.

Maybe I will make the news

I have the running shoes blues.

Do up your laces,before you start to run.

cause landing on your face,aint so much

fun.

Wear the right clothes,walk the walk

Talk the talk.

Wear the proper style of shoe.

I have the running shoes blues

I got shoes for running,shoes for

driving,shoes for going to work.

Shoes for talking the talk

Shoes for washing the dishes

Shoes to please the missus

I got boxes and boxes of shoe

I definently have the running

shoes blues.

There is a workmate of mine who thinks

his bum smells like a flower.

He lets one go,every hour on the hour.

His name is Albutticus Bumstesd

or Albutt for short.

He is a friendly enough guy

Always stopping to say hi.

But you know when he gets that look

on his face,like when a baby is filling its

nappy.

You know that there has been a gas escape

from between his butt cheeks,something

to make him happy.

You see he thinks his bum smells like a geranium

But if you happen to be standing with in a 20 foot

radius,you better start running.

Because you know what is coming.

There are enough noxious fumes

to fuel 10 hot air balloons.

But Albutt is oblivious to what is around

him.

To his nose his farts smell like a rose.

But to others,it is a completely different

story.

The stench hits you in the back of the throat

It is enough to sink a freaking boat.

Albutt walks away with a little shake of his

arse.

Man,that dude has no dignity or class

It takes about 20 minutes for the smell to

go away.

But the memory is here to stay

Once again Albutt has left something that

you wont forget.

A smellier bloke I have never met.

The next day Albutt arrives at work a little

bit early.

He has let go another one,it smells like a

week old fish burley.

Albutt is disappointed cause no one is there

to smell it.

Albutt is so mad,he squeezes his butt cheeks tight

so another cant escape before his staff arrive.

Albutt is thinking about roses,daffodils,lillies,

violets and panseys,which are all his favourite

flowers.

But Albutt must have a blockage in his nose.

Cause his farts don’t smell like a rose,or any of

his favourite flowers.

They smell like an open sewer pipe that has been

in the sun about a week.

Or a rotting carcass that has been decomposing

for about a month.

No flower smells like that of that I am sure.

At 8.00 am sharp his co workers arrive to start

work.

Albutt is ready,he is fully loaded.all gassed up

and ready to go.

Albutt lets loose,but something is wrong,his

butt cheeks wont part.

This is Albutts last noxious fart,seeing that the

gas cant escape,it goes in instead of out.

So Albutt fills with the noxious gas,he slowly

fills and he starts to look like the Michelin man

His head starts to expand to a dangerous

dimension.

And body looks like something to gross to

mention.

Albutt slowly starts to leave the ground and

he starts to float away.

But then someone lights a match and Albutts

explodes in a cloud of blood and guts.

There is nothing left of Albutt.

A week later at Albutts funeral there is an

ironic sight.

The room is full of flowers,of all shapes

and sizes.

Albutt left this earth smelling like a rose

So his nose,knows,I suppose.

PS This story is dedicated to Cathy

Quinton,thanks for the idea Cathy