Tuesday 22 December 2009

A Sydney Christmas - Fourth Day

Someone is near the end of their tether!
Sydney Scherzo - John Thompson (Verse 1 only)
We, an unabashed people.
Yarning, jibing, protesting about what's right or wrong with us,
All the long crowded day, in the windy gold and the blue;
Hurrying or sauntering workwards at all sorts of times in the morning,
With rattle of myriad heels like the noise of a creek;
Leaning from windowed eyries hundreds of feet above water,
Or far away down in a garden, collapsed on a spongy lawn;


Trapped in a shoppers' jostle of bags and intolerant elbows,
Or hemmed by irascible ears where bullocks were want to plod;
Making and buying and selling, handing out tickets and dockets -
We rebel against the great city, we cavil and chafe at the clamor,
The crush, the heat, the struggle, but still say 'Yes' with our hearts.

Martin Place mall outside the GPO. Martin Place runs from the main retail thoroughfare - George Street - up the hill to the main professional thoroughfare - Macquarie Street
Australian Christmas stamps - 1977, 1978 & 1979

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

My goodness, did the pressure get to Santa?

brattcat said...

This entire post works beautifully, Julie. I love your pairings of garlands and architecture. Santa, I guess, cannot gain entrance through the chimney in too many houses down under. And all of these entertainments you've provided are ornament toppers for that lovely last image.

Unknown said...

Lovely pictures Julie, but this must be the first time I have seen Santa hung in effigy. Did I put the wrong person on the naughty list?

bitingmidge said...

Poor Santa!

Great run up to the big day.

Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia

Jim said...

The surfing Santa is still my favourite Christmas stamp ever.
Sydney - City and Suburbs

Julie said...

Folks, I happenstanced upon this unfortunate Santa, but have seen another example since! I think it is just the 30-something Aussie humour finding its way out, expressing exasperation with the entire season.

Jim, I like that particular Christmas stamp, too. It most certainly was controversial when it was issued! I should have saved it until Thursday's post but the years and sourcing the stamps did not fall that way.

Anonymous said...

There is a rather 'rough' poetry around this time of the year, yet seems to find its way indeed into the hearts.
Please have a wonderful Tuesday.
p.s.: many such Santa figures also over here, some even with a parachute.

Frances said...

Love the Martin Place photo. Will feature it on my blog and credit you. Thank you for making my journey into Christmas more enjoyable.

Ken Mac said...

Hmmmmmmmmm. :)

VP said...

We see this Santas everywhere here and now they are evn increased in size to almost life-size!
Is it fun to see short sleeves and a Christmas tree in the same picture...

Birdman said...

Looks like Old Saint Nick is in a bit o' trouble here. Again, really enjoying the shots, poetry and stamps.

Tussy said...

Is he trying to climb to top?

He needs to put more effort on this task I think :)

Merry Christmas.

You Got a Posty
My Bangkok Through My Eyes!

heph said...

nice photos

Helena said...

Wonderful sights. Beautiful. Just a little too hot for me, sadly!

Joan Elizabeth said...

Great shot of Martin Place. Can't remember any fuss about the 1977 stamp, wouldn't cause anyone to blink today. I see they went super conservative the next two years.