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.
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