'Feast' - a poem by Virginia O'Keefe

I have eaten the city, taken in huge gobfuls
Of wintery lightfall on grey metal rooflines
Sucked out the marrow of tenement houses
And spat on the doorsteps carved deep by past feet.
I have plunged my lips along park benches and lake reeds,
Guzzled black swans under canopies of date palm
savoured the creamery of frangipani lit gardens,
and dined on old bus fumes pumping black in my veins.
My teeth have crunched over pink sandstone shorelines
Slaked down slime oysters drowned in sea brine.
Roving the wharflands my tongue goes riffling through gutters,
Slurping on pubspill, licking tars from the street.
When summer arises I hunger for ferries
And gorge on the sails of triangular light.
City of ancestry, city of youth,
I devour my history, carve the corporeal roast.

Virginia O'Keefe


This poem was first penned at a Writing Marathon, conducted by myself for the Fellowship of Australia Writers (WA branch) at Tom Collins House, Swanbourne, on Saturday 3rd April. I think it is a very imaginative and strong poem and thank Virginia for permission to publish it here.