Almanac Poetry: Seen from a Window Table in Acland Street, St Kilda

 

Luna Park, St Kilda, Melbourne. [Source: Wikimedia Commons.]

 

Seen from a Window Table in Acland Street, St. Kilda

 

Mop-haired palms,
aliens in a wintry park
bereft of its usual suspects
– homeless alcoholics,
students eating lunch.
Luna Park in the rearground,
rickety, resonant
of long-gone picture-postcard summers.
Workmen, hippies, businessmen …
a pair of mohawked girls stroll by,
khakied, fit for camouflage
in other, distant jungles.

 

 

(Acknowledgments: appeared in my first poetry book, Vigorous Vernacular, Picaro Press, 2008; reprinted by Ginninderra Press, 2018.)

 

 

Read more from Kevin Densley HERE

Kevin Densley’s latest poetry collection, Sacredly Profane, is available HERE

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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 fifth book-length poetry collection, Please Feed the Macaws ... I'm Feeling Too Indolent, was published in late 2023 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, which was published by Currency Press. Other writing includes screenplays for educational films.

Comments

  1. DBalassone says

    Nice one KD. You see a bit of everything down Acland Street, don’t you? I remember sitting outside a cafe once with a mad Nick Cave fan, and lo and behold the gothic one walked straight past us in a pinstriped suit, I kid you not.

  2. Colin Ritchie says

    There’s something special about sitting and observing KD, I particularly find airports and railway stations a source of intrigue and interest. And of course, a favourite outdoor cafe.

  3. Kevin Densley says

    Thanks for the comments, DB. Yes – Acland Street is an iconic Melbourne street, for sure. Great for (writerly) people-watching!

  4. Kevin Densley says

    Thanks for your input here, Col. I agree totally with your sentiments.

    I used to travel regularly to Acland Street (by tram) when I lived in Melbourne – for a pizza, a half-carafe of red, and the opportunity to watch the passing parade.. I got this poem out of the routine, so it was certainly worth it!

  5. Nice one Kevin. Quite sad seeing so many usually thriving streets bereft of people.

  6. Kevin Densley says

    Thanks, Kate. Yes – I saw a photo of Acland Street somewhere on social media within the last week or so, and there was virtually no people in it!

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