The Sunny Side of the Street

They've moved the dole
office
From around the
corner
In Johnston St,
To Victoria St
Abbotsford

And I walked
around
there

(I always like
to walk
on the sunny
side of
the street)

I saw an Aboriginal
man
waiting at the
intersection
with his dog
washing windows
of motorists
at the red.

I was
asked
for money on four
occasions

A fat man
with a bag

A woman
with blackened
teeth
or
no
teeth
at all

Standing in
line, while
a man yelled

"Well, I've
been fucked
again
by the fucken
Richmond
branch"

and scowled
around the room
as
Public Servants
asked him
to
leave

And
by a man.
"I just need
some money
to buy some
alcohol"

Walking home,
the setting
sun
yellowed
the
walls

The trees
etched
leaflessly.

It's cold
in the
shadows
on the
other side
of the
road.