Live Encounters Poetry & Writing, Special Edition on Humour June 2024.
Opera House Exhibition, poem by Danny Gardner.
Opera House Exhibition
Everyman’s crockery on a drying rack.
Kingston’s bark raft under a nightmare of the Kimberley Heads.
Brett Whiteley had forgotten to remove a rainy-day unmentionable.
Brother Bridge, Sister Aria,
the ugly ladies lost at Luna.
For Ken Done it was all sticks of a popsicle.
For Martin Sharp it was Tiny Tim in his jim jams.
A native engraving the hut-site where Barangaroo wept.
A burning desire Lloyd Rees could hardly see.
Much less Reg Mombasa’s Jesus as Santa with local fauna.
No match for Kevin Connor’s sweaty viles!
Or John Coburn’s exotic windows.
We look at the night-harbour through others sipping champers . . .
Where the fizz are we indeed?
Bring me your poor, your dispossessed
I’ll give them a snow dome.
© Danny Gardner
Danny Gardner is a poet, novelist and freelance journalist. He has published several books of poetry – latest collection ‘Figure in a Landscape’ (Ginninderra Press) 2022. A book of non-fiction ‘Brains in My Feet – Encounters While Travelling’ was launched in 2014.He has been convening Live Poets @ Don Bank (North Sydney) since 2003. He first appeared with Auburn Poets & Writers Group at the Sydney Writers Festival 2008. He has been the group’s co-ordinator since 2014.