Evocative, Max. & I liked the Arthur Boyd reference - it gave me a great
picture. Great artist!
Andrew
On 02/01/2008, Max Richards <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> Snap: the Lygon Street Beggar
>
> As we walked from the cool cinema
> to the hot street, he surprised us totally,
> the little Aboriginal man with the wildest eyes.
>
> His left hand grasped my wifešs, his right hand mine.
> He began to wail: I need money to something
> train something Wollongong something
>
> wail wail wail. I recognized him
> skinny, badly dressed, hair a grey frizz
> from the paintings of Arthur Boyd.
>
> From my pocket emerged a two-dollar coin,
> to take which he had to release us.
> The wailing stopped. We made our escape.
>
> Watching was the regular vendor holding out
> The Big Issue, newsprint monthly
> of Australiašs struggling underclass.
>
> We ask: did you see all that?
> 'Yes, hešs here a lot, makes a killing,
> Išve seen him with a wad of notes.
>
> Watch him running, therešs a cop nearby.'
> We bought the Big Issue (three more
> and I can go homeš), recalling as we did
>
> the Big Issue play at Trades Hall,
> in which this man said hešd played himself.
> We began to remember him, broken teeth, nice eyes.
>
> That was hard at first, telling your own story
> in front of strangers, but it became a great thing
> for them all. And the excellent help they had
>
> from the two professional dancers,
> remembered well by my wife, but
> scarcely by me. So home, our beggar
>
> already receding into a wailing image,
> mythic as Išd always thought
> Arthur Boydšs Aboriginals were.
>
>
> Wednesday 2 January 2008
>
> Max Richards
> Melbourne
>
>
--
Andrew
http://hispirits.blogspot.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aburke/
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