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Poem: A Quiet Street at Night

Books & Poetry

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A self-confessed poet of few words, Timothy Ashdown captures the essence of a quiet street at night and the nostalgia for newspaper men in these two concise submissions.

A Quiet Street at Night

TV light flickers in a window,
A figure walks his dog,
A lonely car drives by.
The picket fences are white like teeth
And the moonlight rests on roofs.
A cat roams in the shadows,
A train trundles past,
And a night time factory chugs away.
It’s a quiet street at night.
And me?
I’m locked out.

Newspaperman

Cigarette dangling from lower lip
And rumpled hat pushed off his forehead,
Tapping at an old typewriter.
Drinking with pollies,
Filing from phone booths,
The paper under one arm:
Form guide and crossword always handy.
Sure, we still have journalists,
But not newspapermen.

Tim in other writings has sometimes used a pen name, but we are happy to be able place his real one against his Poet’s Corner appearances. Tim can also be found on Twitter, at @TimothyAshdown.

Compiled by John Miles

Readers’ original and unpublished poems up to 30 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to poetscorner@solsticemedia.com.au. A poetry book will be awarded to each contributor.

 

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