The Desert Dogs of Tjuntjuntjara
A Tjuntjuntjara desert dog
Is howling at the moon.
Just one at first, then more join in
This ancient howling growling tune.
(Don’t ask me why.
It’s the just their way.
They’ve done it every single day
Since dogs began!)
And very soon, and very soon,
The entire yip-yap yelping mob,
Yes, the whole red-dirt platoon
Of Tjuntjuntjara desert dogs
Is howling at the moon.
Is howling at the moon.
Just one at first, then more join in
This ancient howling growling tune.
(Don’t ask me why.
It’s the just their way.
They’ve done it every single day
Since dogs began!)
And very soon, and very soon,
The entire yip-yap yelping mob,
Yes, the whole red-dirt platoon
Of Tjuntjuntjara desert dogs
Is howling at the moon.
N.B Tjuntjuntjara is a remote community in the southern part of the Great Victoria Desert in Western Australia.
Tjuntjuntjara is pronounced Joon-Joon-Jarra
Poem & Photograph copyright (©) Stewart Ennis 2023
Tjuntjuntjara is pronounced Joon-Joon-Jarra
Poem & Photograph copyright (©) Stewart Ennis 2023
This poem is copyright (©) Stewart Ennis 2024
About the Writer
Stewart Ennis
Stewart lives in Glasgow. He writes books, plays, stories and poems, and takes quite a lot of photographs. His work has been widely performed and published on a variety of stages and pages. Most recently he wrote Yoyo and the Little Auk for the RSNO (Royal Scottish National Orchestra).
