
oh
I’m just a girl
from elsternwick
I was born
near there –
in brighton –
so
I haven’t moved around
very much
I learned to dance
with miss lillias
and
she would have us all
perform
in public
to a performance list
that we practiced
some of the girls
sang
but I was always
more interested
in moving around
and feeling
like I was free
when I was a kid –
(I’m eighteen
now) –
I used to climb
out of my bedroom
window
in the nighttime
and I’d find my way
to st kilda . . .
to the palais de dance
or the green room
I was too
young
really
I know that
but
oh that music
just needed
for me to dance
I still love
to dance
jazz
they say that I’m
a jazzer
I suppose
I must be
because
I love it so
that’s
where I met
leslie
he was
so
good looking
and well dressed
he loved the way
I moved
he makes me happy
anyway
that’s all I have
to say
about me
I don’t want to speak
about my picture
in the paper
that was just
a misunderstanding
I’m ida
that’s all . . .
what’s your name
~
I wonder if I met her there?
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Perhaps at th epalais de dance, cage?
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Highly possible, oh, The Palais, the dresses, the perfumes, the soles treading the timber boards.
**
Nicely played out.
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I see you. I’ll be the gentleman in the sharp suit, pencil moustache and somewhat brooding look.
Mysterious, me!
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Thanks for posting Ida’s photo, Frank! The newspaper story is pretty entertaining in its own right.
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Liz, I’m finding each newspaper and other article reference to be exactly thta – there is a story quality to this life that is a bit stranger than fiction.
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You must be having so much fun!!
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I am, Liz.
Just starting to realise that I need to take it a little more seriously if I want to go on with it. Organise sources, think about chronology or themes. My feeling is that it is all very interesting, but I’m writing shades of similarity. Have to take a bit of a peek at that.
I may step away from writing her in favour of some organising behind the scenes. We’ll see.
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On the other hand, you could keep having fun, see what you have, and then start curating the collection. Isn’t the writing process grand!
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Well, that IS my usual method, of course! I worry though that improvement in final presentation needs to be organised from early on.
We’ll see. Fun in writing is always a good guide.
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In that case, trust your gut!
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Will do.
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Well well, I am not that old after all. Elsternwick was where we lived upon arrival in Melbourne in 1967 I would not want to argue with Ida even now. Interesting article and of course gorgeous poem
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SMall world, CLaire. You might have past her ghost on the way to the Palais, one night . . .
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