Monday, May 18, 2009

Start: One Evening in 1923 - Janine Baker

Start: One Evening in 1923

His start -
unremarkable -
barefoot street cricket
after floggings by The Brothers;
pudding on Sundays
and sly grog at the Palais

His journey -
unending -
from dodging Gyppo street girls
during shore leave in the Med
to jumping trains near Wagga
to escape the Army Provo’s

His contest -
unaccompanied -
through two continents
three wives, four kids spread wide
(could be a score more)
a dozen ships and
still no sign of contentment

His race -
unwon -
past maritime disasters
and that husband with a gun;
unfinished pictures; pulped novels (still unsold);
searching for a truth that’s not worth knowing…

His gravestone could read:

Tried it All (Once)
Failed
Kept Going


http://www.jackmagazine.com/credits.html

1 comment:

Maxine Beneba Clarke said...

Thankyou for this one as well. I could feel his life passing: the undecided pulse of it.