#870 - Mosman's Bay

 

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870 

Mosman's Bay   

ekphrastic for Tom Roberts’ ‘Mosman Bay’ (1894)

in the Hinton collection, at NERAM

the shone shack 

parasol 

oars at

boater

you could skim a stone 

and gone

of course we look at this now for beginning 

cress picnic

blanket, bonnet

smoke sits reflected

a line with no washing 

the sun’s been though 

everything pressed and ironed 

as far as long ago 

of course now they are ghosts

look closely 

you’ll see float

convict blocks to wall the water 

where you could loll with a rod 

no spears 

few fences 

all bright picketing 

now

REFRESHMENT ROOMS

on the pink roof 

a chimney lope 

steps down to the water

steps across

is that the old scout hall 

with the whale bones later?

a day away from town

sky tumbled to

first of these walks 

and don’t fall in 

built to the millions it will be

this painting is a part 

the bottle green bay

the bush at swagger angle 

always ready to burn 

already real estate 

someone will come to insure 

we almost lost an oar here

one wonders were these ladies affronted

in the moment there isn’t a sound 

this was as far as time had come 

the thousands of years all at bay here 

now safe

when this was the furthest shore