Today’s poem – which I think has potential to be developed into a good piece – is inspired by one of my city loves, Sydney. I used to live in Sydney and I’ve just got back after spending four glorious days there.
Although I’ve called this ‘Ode to Sydney’ it does not have an ode’s traditional rhyming scheme. Actually it has no (external) rhyming scheme at all, but it does praise Sydney. That’s ode enough for me.
Ode to Sydney
You wear your days with panache
and your nights without care,
your harbour bling and city diamonds glitter,
your Opera House is pitch-perfect
while your gold-scarf beaches and ribbon-waterways glisten.
I beat your streets, loving every hot minute of your shimmering bitumen.
I breathe your air, loving every cool moment of your moon-dripped water.
I gaze at your nonchalant posture with a backdrop
of sapphire skies and clouds that change their names like underwear.
You seduce me and I leave,
jealous of every designer-shirted exec striding your streets,
jealous of every gym and drug junkie working your corners,
jealous of every angry cabbie and the silent, hunkered homeless,
jealous of every bored regular, of every wowed first-timer.
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