Anna Couani #97 Ideas for Novels 9

I remember the sea of women’s faces

in the Paris Theatre

now the YMCA building

a smaller reading

in the dark quiet

in the Bondi Pavilion

theatrette

reading in the pre-dynastic era

using first names only

showing appreciation, support

a sense of equality

some things are now commonplace

change got created

somehow

through all that conflict

walking around Glebe

dressed down

feeling safe

bra-less

the student suburb

the feminist suburb

in those days

housing Women’s Liberation House

more like a cottage

now Pamakon Cafe

run by the Malaysian architect

the summer days

endless like in childhood

endless cups of tea

in kitchens

the pre-coffee era

sometimes chai

telling fortunes

but serious too

so much already

taken as given

points of reference

that all took years

returning after

all those years of work

coming home

returning to the place

picking up the threads

set down

but like laid in gold, permanent

if the novel was written

would it be now, remembering
or then, as it was, remembered