in this pub by Stephen House

it’s the pub that i choose if i want a few beers

not a pinch of pretention or cool

the pints are six bucks all day into night

and that beats what’s going on elsewhere

there’s no dress code at all and thank god for that

and the age range includes well past senior 

the blokes from the homeless shelter drink here

and the gamblers have a room for their punting

skinny meth-heads carry out deals in the hallway

a working girl chats to potentials 

market vendors drink at the footpath tables

and the chinatown crowd are regulars

in the front bar are a cluster of office workers

it’s only a short walk from the city

and a trendy young group knock back whiskey shots

before heading off to where spirits cost plenty

and at my usual table i write down these words

one of few public spots i pen poetry 

and i see another bar scribe and a sketcher too

who like me must create here with ease 

i suppose as one ages being unnoticed is a comfort

sliding in and simply being is nice

and this unassuming shabby bar with a mix of humans

is a perfect spot for doing just that

i ask the vietnamese barmaid if she likes working here

and with a smile she says that she loves it

then adds many customers she now knows well

and jokes two or three are as friendly as me  

i’ll grab another pint now after knocking out these words

quick verse seems to flow in this pub

and after my tipple i’ll head off for fried rice

in another laid-back budget place

   

Stephen House has won many awards and nominations as a poet, playwright, and actor. He’s had 20 plays produced with many published by Australian Plays Transform. He’s received several international literature residencies from The Australia Council for the Arts, and an Asialink India literature residency. He’s had two chapbooks published by ICOE Press Australia: ‘real and unreal’ poetry and ‘The Ajoona Guest House’ monologue. His next book drops soon. He performs his acclaimed monologues widely. Stephen’s play, ‘Johnny Chico’ has been running in Spain for 4 years.