Poem: The Harold Park Hotel

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Fran writes:

"Thought you might like this poem I wrote many moons ago re the HP. Won Highly Commended in NSW Writer's Comp a few years ago with it.
Cheers, Fran"

Read on for Fran's award-winning poem...The Harold Park Hotel

Fran Davies

What's become of the H P Hotel, to the locals that haunted the place?

Not the suits that breezed in on a Friday night for the trots or to pick up a case

Gone are the days of the old pool comp that gathered people from near and far

I wonder what happened to old Jetboy who had his own seat by the bar

I hear Marty went back to Ireland , there's no shortage of pubs over there

But I still see Carol round the traps, pushing uphill in her chair

And Nick, well he didn't make it, though he put up a mighty fight

So we said farewell to a local with the pub overflowing that night

Serge now works for the opera and Dean has moved nearer the sea

A beer garden once so crowded is now completely pot-free

The carpark is filled with rubble, the sign gone from above the front door

The poets, the muses and comics will stand on its stage no more

There are plenty of pubs in Sydney , but the Harold was one of a kind

No matter how far you would travel I'm certain just couldn't find

The kind of mates we made there, some have lasted a decade or more

It was a refuge to many a traveller and those who were new to our shores

Yes, they've closed the old HP Hotel but there are many who still hope in vain

The doors will swing open wide and long to welcome old mates once again

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5 comments

  1. I used to frequent the HP many years ago whilst living temporarily in Sydney, it was a great spot. So many friendly and interesting people, including The writer of the poem, Fran. Others I remember were Nick,Dean, Guzzo, kiwi Wayne and Liverpudlians John and Danny.
    I heard the place had closed, but looks like it has opened again, looks very different now.
    Anyone remember me, Eoin, I was a friend of Marty, mentioned in the poem?
  3. I fell into the harold park as a young innocent boy and fell out a decade later an old man.
    Can't remember much in between but it was fun.
    Those were the days...dean
  4. Hi Jo, yes I remember you. I stayed at that house for a while before moving to Forsyth St. Are you still in Sydney?
    I’m living in Japan now. Always thinking of a trip down there to see what’s changed.
  5. Hi Dean, I have a very vague memory of a party at your apartment during that time. Must have been in 1992 or so.