Night Rider Poem by keith brown

I thought I saw an old Cobb and Co, maybe in a dream
rattling down an out back track and splashing through a stream.

The captain cracked an old stock whip around the wheelers mane,
I swear I heard the breeches - squealing out in pain as
it bit into the thrill,
all the "coachers" heads go down as they turn to pull up hill.

The Captain stands, cracks the whip once more,
they've pulled the last twelfth miles, yet need another four, on the steepest track the passengers must disembark.
To walk the steepest slopes over rocks and stringy bark.

They listen to the yarns the Captain told the boxseat, then scramble back aboard concord their places too regain, the captain cracks the whip and gives the team full rein.
Four more miles the coachers pull through dust and rattling trail, to where a fresh team stands waiting at the coach house rail.
Grooms men busy round the yard await the bugle call, a single from the Captain, there's just one last mile to pull

Oh and how I longed to join them beneath the triangle light, and ride the sixteen miles on a dark Australian night, too crack the whip and slack the rein and give the team full head,
I thought I saw an old Cobb and co whilst laying in my bed,


Notes

Concord, : the name of the American coaches used by Australian Cobb and co. More comfortable than our Aussie version.

Wheeler: the horse closest to coach

Breeches: strap around wheelersused to back or pull coach

Thrill: the point at which the breech was joined to the rail

Coachers: The name of special bred horse used by cc

Box seat, : most popular seat next to (Jehus) the box seater helped open gates etc

Jehus: the name given to driver, referred to as captain in this verse.