At the moment I am sitting in
Eleanor Dark’s studio with a rug over my knees and a heater close by, two
heaters in fact. It’s cold in the
Blue Mountains, colder than I had imagined, but at least today the sun is
shining and the world outside – despite the dew on the grass and the bare tress
in the garden dripping with left over rain – looks almost spring like and
therefore warmer, warmer at least than yesterday when the day was over cast
from morning right through to night and there was a steady misting rain.
Eleanor Dark’s studio with a rug over my knees and a heater close by, two
heaters in fact. It’s cold in the
Blue Mountains, colder than I had imagined, but at least today the sun is
shining and the world outside – despite the dew on the grass and the bare tress
in the garden dripping with left over rain – looks almost spring like and
therefore warmer, warmer at least than yesterday when the day was over cast
from morning right through to night and there was a steady misting rain.
I went out for only one walk into
town yesterday and did not enjoy it, not as I have enjoyed my walks through Katoomba in
the past. But it goes in cycles. Exhilaration to misery in as little as
five minutes. The pressure to do
nothing but write and read and think about writing is a luxury but it’s also a
burden and for some reason I feel it more acutely this time.
town yesterday and did not enjoy it, not as I have enjoyed my walks through Katoomba in
the past. But it goes in cycles. Exhilaration to misery in as little as
five minutes. The pressure to do
nothing but write and read and think about writing is a luxury but it’s also a
burden and for some reason I feel it more acutely this time.
I’m stuck in a well of the
familiar and I cannot get out of it.
familiar and I cannot get out of it.
In this studio, once the writing
place of Eleanor Dark, there is a series of drawers in which other writers who
have used this room have left snippets of their writing drafts, a page or two,
no more. And perched on top are two tall chests with flower embossed fronts in
which someone has placed a slip of paper with the words:
place of Eleanor Dark, there is a series of drawers in which other writers who
have used this room have left snippets of their writing drafts, a page or two,
no more. And perched on top are two tall chests with flower embossed fronts in
which someone has placed a slip of paper with the words:
‘Courage is the first essential.’
In the next cupboard alongside but separated by mouldy dictionaries and grammar
books, this same person, I presume, has penned the words:
books, this same person, I presume, has penned the words:
‘And coffee second.’
In another of the drawers below
where there are countless screeds from countless writers I found one piece that
has taken my fancy. It’s from
an Australian poet named Jude Aquilina and it reads like this:
where there are countless screeds from countless writers I found one piece that
has taken my fancy. It’s from
an Australian poet named Jude Aquilina and it reads like this:
First
Penis Transplant
Penis Transplant
A cutting from The Herald, 2107
Today,
the first penis
the first penis
transplant
was successfully
was successfully
performed
on a woman in her
on a woman in her
twenties. I’ve always wanted
one, stated the Sydney
housewife,
to prove that
to prove that
women
can wear penises too. I
can wear penises too. I
don’t
intend to flash it nor
intend to flash it nor
thrash
it, just use it for its
it, just use it for its
natural
purposes and I hope it
purposes and I hope it
comes
in handy around the
in handy around the
house. I want to invent
practical
attachments such as
attachments such as
dusters
and dish mops. How
and dish mops. How
many
mothers have wished
mothers have wished
for
an extra hand? – crossing
an extra hand? – crossing
the
street with a child each
street with a child each
side,
I’ll hang my handbag on
I’ll hang my handbag on
nature’s
hook. And when I
hook. And when I
go dancing on summer nights,
I’ll
wear bangles that jangle
wear bangles that jangle
from side to side. I really
think
they’re going to catch
they’re going to catch
on,
Women have been without
Women have been without
them
far too long. Surgeons
far too long. Surgeons
say
their lists are full of
their lists are full of
women
waiting to fulfil their
waiting to fulfil their
masculinity;
the problem at
the problem at
the
moment, unfortunately,
moment, unfortunately,
lies
in the lack of donors.
in the lack of donors.