Kenneth Slessor, a famous Australian poet, lived and worked as a journalist near Williams Street in the Kings Cross area of Sydney. It was close to his heart. He writes admiringly of it:
William Street is a sort of flashlight photograph of the swarming city channel that runs up the hill of King's Cross taken on a rainy night when the surface of the road is coated with a slick of reds and greens and whites reflected from the noen sky-signs (the 'red globe' and 'pulsing arrows').
This poem below was written some seventy years ago.
William Street
The red globes of light, the liquor-green,
The pulsing arrows and the running fire
Spilt on the stones, go deeper than a stream;
You fin this ugly, I find it lovely.
Ghost's trousers, like the dangle of hung men,
In pawn-shop windows, bumping knee by knee,
But none inside to suffer or condemn;
You find this ugly, I find it lovely.
Smells rich and rasping, smoke and fat and fish
And puffs of paraffin that crimp the nose,
Or grease that bless onions with a hiss; You find this ugly, I find it lovely.
The dips and molls, with flip and shiny gaze
(Death at their elbows, hunger at their heels)
Ranging the pavement of their pasturage;
You find this ugly, I find it lovely.
Now answer this questions using the informations above:
1. What is the theme of the poem?
2. What emotions does the poet express in 'William Street'?
3. How does the poet create the impression he is speaking directly to his audience?
4. Why do you think the poet says, 'you find this ugly'?
5. In the first stanza, what visual images is the poet describing? Do you find them unpleasant or not? Why?
6. How does the poet show that the movement of the lights seem to resemble water?
7. Why does the poet refer to the trousers in the pawn shop as 'ghost trousers'?
8. How does the poet create a feeling of sadness in the second stanza?
9. What senses of the audience does the third stanza appeal to?
10. Find two examples of alliteration in the third stanza and comment on their effect?
11. In the final stanza, the description of the pickpockets and prostitutes, 'the dips and molls', is especially depressing, why?
12. Even though this poem was written many years ago, why is it still relevant today?
1. The theme of the poem is the beauty in the ugliness of urban nightlife and the contrast between different perspectives on the same environment.
2. The poet expresses a sense of admiration and fascination for the urban environment, while acknowledging that others may find it unpleasant or ugly.
3. The poet creates the impression he is speaking directly to his audience by using the second person pronoun "you" throughout the poem, addressing the reader's potential opinions or reactions.
4. The poet says, 'you find this ugly,' to acknowledge that not everyone may share his perspective on the beauty of the urban nightlife, and to highlight the subjective nature of beauty.
5. In the first stanza, the poet describes visual images of colorful lights reflected on the wet street, which some may find unpleasant due to the chaos and artificiality they represent, while others may find them beautiful for their vibrancy and energy.
6. The poet shows that the movement of the lights resembles water by comparing them to a stream and describing how they go deeper than a stream, suggesting a fluid and constantly changing quality.
7. The poet refers to the trousers in the pawn shop as 'ghost trousers' to emphasize their empty and lifeless appearance, as well as the sense of abandonment and loss associated with second-hand clothing.
8. The poet creates a feeling of sadness in the second stanza by describing the pawn shop windows as reflecting the image of 'hung men,' implying a sense of vulnerability and hopelessness.
9. The third stanza appeals to the sense of smell of the audience by describing the rich and varied smells of the urban environment, such as smoke, fat, fish, and grease.
10. Two examples of alliteration in the third stanza are 'Smells rich and rasping' and 'grease that bless onions with a hiss'. The effect of the alliteration is to create a musical and rhythmic quality to the description of the smells, emphasizing their presence and impact.
11. The description of the pickpockets and prostitutes as 'the dips and molls' is especially depressing because it highlights the harsh realities of urban life, including desperation, exploitation, and poverty.
12. This poem is still relevant today because it explores themes of urban life, beauty in unexpected places, and the subjectivity of perception, which are timeless and universal themes that continue to resonate with readers. Additionally, the imagery and emotions evoked in the poem can still be found in modern urban environments, making it relatable to contemporary audiences.
Write a shorter version of question 12. and a simpler version of questions 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.
Shorter version of question 12:
Do you think the poem "William Street" is still important today?
Simpler versions of questions:
4. Why does the poet say some people may not like what is described in the poem?
5. What does the poet see on William Street in the first stanza? Do you like it or not? Why?
6. How does the poet say the lights look like water moving?
7. Why does the poet call the trousers in the pawn shop 'ghost trousers'?
8. How does the poet make the second stanza sad?
I mean answers to the questions
4. The poet acknowledges that some people may not like what is described in the poem to show that beauty is subjective and different perspectives exist.
5. In the first stanza, the poet sees colorful lights reflecting on the wet street, which some may find unpleasant due to the chaos and artificiality they represent, while others may find them beautiful for their vibrancy and energy.
6. The poet compares the movement of the lights to water by saying they go deeper than a stream, suggesting a fluid and ever-changing quality.
7. The poet calls the trousers in the pawn shop 'ghost trousers' to emphasize their empty and lifeless appearance, as well as the sense of abandonment and loss associated with second-hand clothing.
8. The poet makes the second stanza sad by describing the pawn shop windows as reflecting the image of 'hung men,' implying a sense of vulnerability and hopelessness.
Write a simpler answer for questions 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. And Write a shorter answer for question 12.
Shorter answer for question 12:
Is "William Street" still relevant today?
Simpler answers:
4. The poet mentions that some people may not like what he describes in the poem to show that different people have different opinions on what is beautiful or ugly.
5. In the first stanza, the poet sees colorful lights reflecting on the wet street. Some may find it unpleasant due to the chaos it represents, while others may find it beautiful for its energy.
6. The poet says the lights on William Street look like moving water by comparing them to a stream.
7. The poet calls the trousers in the pawn shop 'ghost trousers' to show they look empty and abandoned.
8. The second stanza is made sad by the poet describing the pawn shop windows as reflecting the image of 'hung men,' which gives a sense of hopelessness and vulnerability.
Write a shorter answer for question 12
Shorter answer for question 12:
Is "William Street" still relevant today?