Redbacks Revenge

Over the years when times were tough
I had to resort to odd jobs to make ends meet!
Found out from a friend; could make a buck
By taking Redback spiders to the lab: neat!
All spiders scared me when I was young
But I braved it out to make that dough!
Seventy five cents per spider wasn't much but
It all added up; with the numbers; I'll let you know!

We found them by looking underneath the garden pots
In tight places; behind the tin; Redbacks by the lots!
Found 50 one day all hiding around the house
Under the veranda; in the shed; under the plants!
Where-ever we looked; they were hiding there!
Sometimes; I must admit: they did give me a scare!
Just didn't want to go into that little jar there!
Though i asked very nicely; "Please" said I!
There were big ones; little ones; medium too!
But only the biggest ones; for the lab would do!

The venom labs needed them to make the stuff
Anti-venom; to aid people; bitten; that's the thing
I wanted to help people in hospital!

As I recall; many years ago; a work mate of my mum's
Was bitten in the outdoor dunny!
Remember that old song; but it really wasn't funny!
The Redback on the toilet seat; actually happened!
Poor man; hospitalised; all his bits; tenderised!
Painful swelling; black and blue; oh what a to-do!

Well it just happened; one New Year's Eve!
I was bitten too! Not that long ago it was
I was getting changed into another top
Hot and bothered; ready to drop!
Never even felt the sting:
Just saw her big black and red bottom
As she walked down my arm
Flicked her off; she got squished!
End of story; so I thought!

We went out to the Berri Club
Dinner with my folks; on the menu!
I said; "Might have been bitten by that Red!"
No-one listened: "You're imagining!" they said!
My arm was aching; getting red!
Then the pain was moving down my arm
Head was feeling weird; fuzzy sort of thing
Off-colour; feeling bad; help was needed!
Josh and Shelley took me in
To the hospital emergency
Had to wait and sit around a while
It takes time to spread the poison round!
Got some morphine for the pain; topped it up later on
Felt like some-one had whacked me with a cricket bat
Nothing much happened after that!
Until a few more hours had passed on by!
Hospital getting busy; lots of people coming in
I was moved into a corridor;
Nearly asked to quit the bed as well!
Then 4 hours after the bite; my skin was crawling
My body itching; couldn't keep still!
Injected anti-venom; another jab for nausea
To quell that rising beast!
Admitted into hospital; just in case I had
A bad reaction to the anti-venom!
Can't recall much after that; must have slept
Might have had some porridge; fuzzy still
Slept again; had a bit of lunch; don't know what I ate!
Then it was 2 pm; taken home; slept some more
But boy was my whole arm sore!