Almanac Poetry: In a Kelly town museum
Marriage of Aaron Sherritt by Sidney Nolan, enamel paint on composition board, 1947. (Source: National Gallery of Australia website.)
In a Kelly town museum
near the bluestone step
on which Byrne
stuck a boot
as he gunned down
Sherritt, the mummified
conjoined heads
of a freak calf hang
upon a meat hook
Acknowledgment: first published in foam:e, 2019.
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About
Kevin Densley is a graduate of both Deakin University and The University of Melbourne. He has taught writing and literature in numerous Victorian universities and TAFES. He is a poet and writer-in-general. His sixth book-length poetry collection, Isle Full of Noises, was published in early 2026 by Ginninderra Press. He is also the co-author of ten play collections for young people, as well as a multi Green Room Award nominated play, Last Chance Gas, published by Currency Press. Other writing includes screenplays for educational films.
Another winner KD! So much said in so few lines.
Thanks, Col.
I must’ve gone to that Kelly Country museum when I was about nine years old! Curious what stays in one’s head.
Ok. One for Kelly buffs … look closely at Nolan’s painting of Sherritt’s marriage (above) – what detail about Sherritt himself indicates that he was a Kelly sympathiser?
Hello Kevin,
Just hazarding a guess here: would it be that Sherritt’s tie and hat band are both Kelly green in tone?
By the way, you are a blast from the past for me. We shared a house in Grovedale many moons ago. ?
All the best, Lea
Hi Lea.
Great to hear from you! Yes, I remember sharing the house in Grovedale, of course.
The Kelly green tie and hat band is a good “pick up” on the your part – what I had in mind specifically regarding the Kelly sympathiser issue was that Sherritt wearing his chin strap under his nose “Great mob” style, indicating his allegiance to the Kelly gang – he was even photographed like this.
* above should read “was that Sherritt was wearing his chin strap under his nose “Greta Mob” style” *