Best Sydney Poems
Lion Island sleeps like a cub
between Angophora branches.
Scratching among leaf litter, a Superb Lyrebird
drags his regal feathers over ruined castle-rocks.
In the tray of green-silk-water below,
miniature curved triangles sail;
and way down there
Barrenjoey’s lighthouse is as little
as a birthday candle – unlit.
West Head is surreal:
a giant-realm in balloon-blue skies.
These tiny, far-off man-made things
tinker at the edges –
not important
it seems.
steel beams
reach across space
poised
seas moving beneath sound
the salty breath-test of time
Chocolate and coffee
No real comfort
When terror strikes.
Memories Of The Sydney Tram
This fabulous road transport vehicle had it's humble beginnings
in the 1880s, were horses pulled the double-decker trams along
the various streets of Sydney, they moved pretty slow and the
people wanted to move at a much faster pace.
Soon to follow was the steam tram, although a faster alternative
it would cause all sorts of problems, especially the black soot
which came from the smokestack, this would never do.
It was approaching the turn of the century, in the 1900's
along came the cable tram, were the cable ran through a slot in the
middle of the lines giving the tram it's available traction, although
a lot faster than the horse and more than a match to a steam tram
in clean street running, it was not until the first of the electric trams
came into service, that people were satisfied.
Trams had a marvellous ability to move large numbers of people
from the racetracks and the showgrounds where they had the Royal
Easter Show, they were environmentally friendly and the people
loved them, all except the Government and the Oil Companies of the
time, they envisioned the future of transportation to be made up of
fossil fuel burning cars and buses, yes it would seem there was no
room on the streets for the people's friend, the humble tramcar.
Trams came and went until the 1950's, when plans were made to scrap
Sydney's greatest asset, the trams, when 1960 approached there was
hardly anything left of our great tramway system, and in 1961,
Sydney's last two trams made their final run into history, it would appear
the Government and Oil Companies had won the battle or so it seemed
until the late 1990's when a move to bring trams back was achieved and
they now run from Central station like their early predecessors,
running around Darling Harbor almost like a parody of what they once
were, still who knows what role the tram may have for Sydney's future.
Whispered breaths, gentle breeze, blushing hearts of sanguine hue
Wings aflutter of gossamer lace, pure, gentle, delicate and true
Luminous lucence, crystalline glow, soft translucence and heavenly bloom
Beautiful glimmer in radiant sweetness, all the splendor that is you
My Sydney,
From here to eternity,
You are my savior, my sanctity.
When my soul was shadowed
You were rendered hallowed.
Lending me strength to fight
By being my beacon, my guiding light
Within my inner battle so stark,
One abysmally abhorrent and dismally dark.
Silhouetted in your shining radiance,
You beautifully beckoned my presence
With your mere auras essence.
Jorn Utzon received the Pritzker Architecture Prize for his masterpiece
Sydney Opera House is famous the world over, maybe in space too
Her shells are recognizable by millions, even I, who have never been
fabulous place opened in 1973, she hosts visitors from every country
Her performing arts center houses LePetit Ballet, Opera Australia,
There are recording studios, retail shops, cafes, restaurants, pubs
Utzon was one of thirty-two architects to submit a design.
In Kansas City, Missouri, we have created a tiny replica of this beauty.
Lying on a beach in Sydney,
scorched and sore in the dry heat,
the sand burns my toes.
I wander back to drizzly days in Leitrim,
when I paddled in my wellingtons
in puddles on the farm where I grew up.
Here rain seldom falls,
and only in quick downpours,
I long for soft days and misty rain
to moisten my face.
In the Opera house
Is a tiny little mouse,
Everybody knows
Of the tiny little mouse,
The tiny little mouse in the
Opera house!
He watches all the shows
Sings all highs and lows,
Everybody knows-
He likes to play banjos,
The tiny little mouse in the
Opera house!!
The tiny little mouse
Is a superstar,
Everybody knows-
He plays pianos
Backing up the shows
In the Opera house !!!
The tiny little mouse
Likes to do a little dance,
Kicking up his feet
Turning up the heat,
Always keeps a beat-
For you to have a seat
In the Opera House !!!!
-15th March 2021-
The ship has docked in Sydney harbour officials
have come and gone now the ship is eerily silent,
yet noisy slamming of doors and someone taking
a shower…laughter. How can I sleep tonight with
the engine stopped? How can I read and not hear
human bravura? Sod it all, someone strums a guitar,
and I hear the fizzing sound of canned beer flipped
open. No this can´t go on better go ashore, a bar,
drink a few schooners, try joining the hubbub of man
at ease and not think of the sea, dolphins blue,
white crested waves and the hum of the sea goddess,
that teases me for my cowardice for not taking
the plunge and be as beautiful as the seascape of my
impossible dreams. Easy, tomorrow will be a mundane
Tuesday and we, if the dockers do not strike, should
be bound for Brisbane where the beer tastes the same,
of amalgamated breweries. Yet, despite my lack of fine
culture, I saw Sidney opera house casting dignified light
into the bay…
OUR TIN POT NAVY so THEY SAID in 1914 Sydney in the first World War 1
In 1914 German cruisers were cut loose
and Emden she was one…………….…(fired 38lb shells)
the Indian ocean she did for hunting choose
and 9 ships were sunk by gun…….
Then she sailed and shelled Madras , I say
captured 10 more ships, when off Ceylon…
Penang harbour a night visit,… hey!
sank Frog and Ruski warships, and was gone ….(Emden was daring!)
November 8, morse code it said… strange ship a passing there,
out near Cocos island, the German raider caused a stir
Cruiser Sydney she raced west at 25 knots or more
And sighted wily Emden who opened fire for sure
Sydney took 15 hits before, she then hit back …..(with 100lb shells)
blew away her steering gear and knocked her funnels flat (Emden)
.. ………..demise………..
The Scrap Iron Flotilla they said in 1940
Light Cruiser Sydney in World War 2
Light Cruiser Sydney had some 6 inch guns
she met Italians in the med.
sank destroyer Espero not for fun
in nineteen forty, yes its said
17th july Sydney was on patrol, when,
she was called into a fight
2 Italian cruisers waited, then,
sprung some pommy destroyers in flight....(pommy English)
Yes Sydney came to even up
the poms out gunned for sure
when she arrived with blazing guns
the Italians run for shore
Bande Nere and Colleoni rushed a bit
made smoke to get away
Band Nere then she took a funnel hit
as Sydney passed her way
Collenoni then she wore the brunt
stopped dead by Sydney's shell
so Band Nere escaped the hunt
Sydney's out of ammo… well?.:)
But if you live by the sword you die by the sword
cunning German's had their day
Sydney met a ship with hidden guns aboard
Raider Kormoran made her play
Kormoran she hid behind a Dutch flag
and when Sydney came in range ………a sitting duck ... 1000 yards
she fired first, jerked down the rag……...old navy trick
two equals did exchange………………….similar guns…
Though mortally wounded Sydney, still,
had some guns to fire,
x turret still fired with a bitter will
burnt Kornoran …'the liar'…….Don Johnson
……….demise of both……….
No trace of the Sydney sailors ...Kormoran sailors made it to the barren west coast of
Australia
and were interned as P.O.Ws....Almost seems like Karma with payback by the German navy...
Lying on a beach in Sydney,
scorched and sore in the dry heat,
the sand burns my toes.
I wander back to drizzly days in Leitrim,
when I paddled in my wellingtons
in puddles on the farm where I grew up.
Here rain seldom falls,
and only in quick downpours,
I long for soft days and misty rain
to moisten my face.
Marquise
Cinque linking
Amaranth medallion
Allows a diamond star to form
Immaculate teeth, glace cherry smirk
Swinging on invisible link
Sheriff starlight centre
Spikes squeezed between
Marquise
14th July 2022
Written for Contest; Radical Rictameter
Sponsor: Caren Krutsinger
Sydney airport in twenty eleven
On route to help Scots go to heaven
My son Jeremy at six foot two
Cricketer Athlete and rugby man too
Big tough man with sense of humour
Loves whats real and hates wrong rumour
Standing there to wave goodbye
Stares at me and starts to cry
"I love you" is exchanged in tears
"Love you Dad" final words to me
Qantas Flight 1 above Sydney Harbour
Just makes my tears and pain go harder
I'll never forget Sydney twenty eleven
And I know I'll see Jeremy smile in heaven.
Sydney Sweeney
looks good in a gown or bikini.
Standing out from the rest,
you can't say she's overdressed.
According to this reporter,
she's a house of brick and mortar.