This is the latest in our series of Park Poetry - “Adelaide Botanic Garden” by Jules Leigh Koch.
“Adelaide Botanic Garden”
he sits on the fountain’s
cool marble edge
all else is in drought
he wades his hand through water
where goldfish glitter
then vanish
ducks make silver and grey conversations
the gossip of other birds clings
to every leaf
across the lawn a nurse
is pushing an elderly woman
in a wheelchair
the few clouds which have stayed
are fretting beneath
the afternoon sun
in front of him pigeons gather
noisily and quickly
they move as though their wings
were scorched in flight
the pigeons have left
no message for him
he walks back to the gates
the woman in the wheelchair passes
her smile catches him
like a kite
Jules Leigh Koch
by Deb Stewart
Jules Leigh Koch is the author of five collections of poetry and has been published in over seventy magazines and anthologies, including The Weekend Australian, Overland, The Australian Book Review, Southerly and Adelaide: Mapping the Human City.
He has been the recipient of two South Australian Literary Grants and a guest reader at the Adelaide Fringe, Feast, New Voices Festival Melbourne, Adelaide Writers Week and Bundaleer Forest Festival.
Jules has also been a judge for the John Bray Festival Awards over three consecutive bi-annual terms. He recently retired from working as an educator.
Pic of Jules Leigh Koch by Grace Benvenuto
In Jules’ own words…
My history with the Adelaide Botanic Garden started in childhood. My Dutch grandparents took my brother and myself to the Garden constantly. We had fish and chips in the restaurant and fed the ducks who became part of my extended family, as I did not have pets at home.
My grandmother taught me about flowers and my grandfather used to show me around the herb garden. My parents also visited the Garden regularly, with a real interest in the Palm House and the Cactus and Succulent Gardens.
“Black Spring” in the Adelaide Botanic Garden. Pic: Jules Leigh Koch
I also remember having picnics in the First Creek Wetlands. Later in life I took my own son, Lorcan. At 12 months, his first steps were taken while trying to catch a duck. Since then, the Botanic Garden has never lost its magic to me, visiting the Zombie Flower, the Dancing Amazon Waterlily and the Lotus Pond, which flowers during the hottest part of summer and has always made me feel an emotional connection to the place.
I have found that the Adelaide Botanic Garden is the best place to interact with nature. I have been writing poems there since my early 20s, with each changing season having a different mood and atmosphere.
Left: Moreton Bay fig tree avenue;. Right: Queensland Bottle Tree “my favourite tree in the Botanic Garden”. Pics: Jules Leigh Koch.
With two open air cafes, it has always been a great place to meditate and write. The Botanic Garden has been a big part of my life living in Adelaide.
See other “Park Poems” in our series
Make a submission for our “Park Poetry” series. Contact poetryintheparklands@gmail.com
Banner image (at top): Shane Sody
Images 2, 3, and 4: openart.ai
