Almanac Teams: A Real Bushrangers’ Australian Rules “Twenty”

This week, KD supplies an Australian Rules bushrangers’ “Twenty”, made up of actual bushrangers. You know it’s a strong side when ‘Bold Jack’ Donohue, ‘The Wild Colonial Boy’, just scrapes in on a half-back flank!

Almanac Poetry: Mickey Mouse’s Cranial Vault

In this week’s poem, Kevin Densley parallels modern American history with the evolution of Mickey Mouse.

Almanac Memoir (and Music): Words Are Not Enough

Secondary school memories involving music, girls, letters from girls, and screeching cicadas are the basis of this prose piece by KD, all tied in a neat bundle by a hit song of the era from “Ol’ Black Eyes” himself, the late Jon English.

Almanac Poetry (and Food): Stargazy Pie

Fish gazing heavenwards out of a pie? Of course! In this poem, Kevin Densley draws on his inner Cornishman (he does have some Cornish ancestry) to describe this unusual dish.

Almanac Book Review – Albert ‘Pompey’ Austin: A Man Between Two Worlds

Kevin Densley recently read Roy Hay’s book on Albert ‘Pompey’ Austin and provides some general impressions.

Almanac (Music) Memoir: Freshwater Creek: are you ready to rock’n’roll?

In his prose piece this week, KD writes about an early gig his band, Murmurs, played at Freshwater Creek Hall, near Anglesea, Victoria, in 1980. He recalls being surprised – and more than a little concerned – about how the gig was advertised.

Almanac Food: KD’s Kitchen – Worcestershire Sauce – My Favourite Condiment (What’s Yours?)

In this instalment of KD’s Kitchen, he extols the virtues of Worcestershire Sauce and invites Almanackers to respond with their own favourite condiment.

Almanac Memoir (and Music): Shadow Boxing at The Argyle Hotel

Kevin Densley revives memories of Geelong in 1980 with his band Murmurs at The Argyle Hotel.

Almanac Poetry: In a Kelly town museum

In today’s poem, Kevin Densley goes ‘a bit abstract’, to use his own words, with a Ned Kelly theme about going to a museum in Kelly Country as a kid and seeing two particularly interesting artefacts side by side.

Almanac Poetry: Propinquity

One thousand, nine hundred and forty one years ago – almost to the day, according to some recent research – Mt Vesuvius’s most devastating eruption occurred. This week’s poem from Kevin Densley, ‘Propinquity’ deals with that catastrophe.

Almanac Poetry: The Wilful Murder of Constable Samuel Nelson

Kevin Densley shares his poetry for the week – this time it’s a dive back to a 19th century Australian gang scenario, as well as a link to a review of his own poetry collection.

Almanac Poetry: Young Björn Encounters Sigrid

Kevin Densley shares his poetry via mixed-media this week; he also concedes that he did watch a lot of “late night World Movies” in the early days of SBS!

Almanac Poetry: Bushranger Harry Power

Kevin Densley shares the story of Harry Power in his poem this week, the ‘tutor’ of Ned Kelly.

Almanac Poetry: ‘Handel’s Father was a Barber-surgeon’

This week’s poem from Kevin Densley looks at baroque music, Angus Young, AC/DC and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein!

Almanac Poetry: Stringybark Creek

The mere mention of the words “Stringybark Creek” (site of the Kelly gang police murders) send a shudder right through Kevin Densley, illustrated by this week’s poem.

Almanac Poetry: When Johnstone’s Circus Came to Town

Kevin Densley looks back and reflects upon a circus he went to as a kid. To say not everything went as smoothly as he thought it would is an understatement! (Note: he doesn’t use the real name of the circus concerned, which in any case he has forgotten!)

Almanac Poetry: Ned Kelly’s Last Hours

More Australian poetry of our historic past by Kevin Densley; this time Ned Kelly awaits the gallows.

Almanac Poetry: The Capture and Incarceration of Frank “Captain Melville” McCallum (1822-1857)

Kevin Densley, with a poem about the violent life of Frank “Captain Melville” McCallum.

Poem – The Shooting of Fred Lowry

Another slice of poetic Australian history from Kevin Densley. This time, the sorry demise of bank robber Fred Lowry.

Poem – Harlequin with Australian Rules Football

Kevin Densley paints a picture with poetic words about our great game of footy.