In response to Eugi’s weekly prompt “ghostly“:
Come gather round the campfire mates,
and we’ll share a tale or two.
And I’ll tell you one that’s true and straight,
of the Gundaroo ghost kangaroo.
T’was in the gloaming I saw him first,
a little ways up Marked-Tree road
in a paddock purpled with Paterson’s curse,
there, at the bend where I should’ve slowed.
He stood amongst a mob of greys,
and showed no fright as I passed by,
just stood his ground as they scattered away,
ghostly white ‘gainst darkening sky.
The local lads with their utes and spotlights,
who’ll put a bullet in anything,
don’t try to get him in their sights –
they know better than take a shot at him.
‘Cause he’s the ghost of every ‘roo’s been hit,
that pure white beast of Gundaroo,
by too-fast car or red-neck’s bullet.
And he’s waiting by the road for you.
This is almost entirely true. The first time I saw the albino kangaroo that is part of a mob on the north-side of Gundaroo I was barrelling down the hill on Marked-Tree Rd and suddenly there was a big white kangaroo staring in my window, maybe a metre from me. After my initial yell of “what the @$#& was that!?” my first thought was “it’s the ghost of the kangaroo I hit almost right at this spot!”. I’ve seen him several times since, but this is the best photo I’ve managed to get so far:
So watch out for the ghost kangaroo if you’re driving at dusk near Gundaroo!
What a great story and a fascinating experience! Great photo of the albino kangaroo!
Nice take…
https://snowdrop0.wordpress.com/2020/10/21/ghostly/
Will you review mine…
Thanks snowdrop. 🙂
Beware of asking a teacher for a review – the red pen comes out! 😀
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WOW! Are there Albino kangaroos? What a scary experience it must have been for you!
A lovely poem this one.
Thanks Goutam.
Yes, there really are albino kangaroos, but they’re very rare. And very creepy when first seen at close range at dusk. 🙂
I am sure they must be! Would probably scare me to death if I happen to meet one in the same setting as you had, the first time! 😊
Great fun!
Thank you 🙂
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Wow, that is a great story! I have never even heard of a white kangaroo! In the northeast US if I saw a kangaroo, even a regular color one, I might drop! Lol
Thanks! But you have scary animals like bears, don’t you? At least kangaroos don’t eat people. 😀
Hahaha, never thought of that!
What an experience. The poem describes it just right.
Thanks Usha 🙂