The Street Poet

by Jaidyn Luke Attard

Poetry on the walls. Needles in the gutters. Preachers on the corners. Protesters on the roads. People begging on the streets. This is 21st century Melbourne.

Johnny Lock - young and fragile, purposeless and paranoid - meets Jay Khan, a wanderer who writes letters to strangers while trapped in Melbourne during the pandemic. Thus begins Johnny's metamorphosis. He brands himself a 'street poet' and begins roaming the city in search of stories, finding inspiration in the strangers and places Jay teaches him to notice. Johnny's world grows larger as he learns to heed the forgotten stories, entangling his own in the tales of the streets. Over a tumultuous eighteen-month period, he confronts his own delusions, exposes universally existential truths, and unveils the secrets of the city. The result is a dystopian rendering of modern Australian life from the eyes of a paranoid poet: the author's literary alter ego.

This collection archives the transcriptions of Johnny's wanderings as a street poet. His recorded observations and encounters are preserved in typewritten diary entries, street-inspired poetry and various other media forms. From drunken train rides and anti-vax protests to eavesdropped conversations and interactions with strangers, this is Johnny's Melbourne: a city flashing between hot and cold, welcoming and discordant. Romanticism and disillusionment are seamlessly braided into a raw, honest story about a young man navigating a turbulent world.

342 pages, Paperback

First published May 17, 2023

Reviews

[Archer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jaidyn Attard’s ‘The Street Poet’ is a carefully constructed network of alleyways, streets and gutters, forming a view of his city that has never been done before. This book is realistic, heartbreaking, shocking and packed with a brutally honest evaluation of class and society. Everyone who plans on visiting Melbourne, should read this book.

[Emma Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m usually hesitant about poetry books. I’ve spent years being told that if I just keep searching for poetry books and reading them, I would find collections I like, and every time I tried, I was disappointed by what I had in front of me. That was until I read this collection. Not only would I say it is worth your time and money, but I would argue that it is one of the select few poetry collections, past and present, worth your time and money.

The Street Poet is needed in not only the poetry world but the literary one. On every page, you can see the love not only for the written work but for Melbourne as a whole. Filled with the good, the bad, and the ugly of everyday life, we experience the stories of strangers in a city but also the personal odyssey of a writer who struggles with the ups and downs of life while blossoming into someone extraordinary.

Jaidyn perfectly crafts a world that welcomes readers in and makes you feel as if you are returning to a home you haven’t been to in a long time, even if you’ve never stepped foot in Melbourne. The collection dives deep into the grit and creative side of the city, telling stories of unique Melbourne experiences such as The Cardboard Man, the State Library, the Rainbow Lady, and Hosier Lane while also expressing universal experiences like trying to find the cheapest pack of cigarettes, cult recruitment, and the hatred all city residents have for EScooters.

Writers are often told that they are born in the wrong generation, but I argue that Jaidyn was born at the right time, sparking the match that is bringing back the lost art, grit, and adventure of the Beatnik Generation that the publishing world is not ready for.

Podcast episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/28Mm...

[Brooklyn Tayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘The Street Poet” by Jaidyn Luke Attard is honestly such a tour de force of poetry, of perception, of writing, of people. Every aspect of this book is such a visceral, unique reading experience, I prolonged finishing it - because I just wanted to keep the reading experience of celebrating Johnny Lock's continued metamorphosis, descent, metamorphosis, angst, metamorphosis, all while projecting the reader right alongside the shadows within, to COVID struck Melbourne, throughout an 18 month journey of capturing (and finding) stories! Street poetry had, for a good while, been something I'm fascinated by, Jaidyn's book definitely heightened my fascination with it and swiftly inspired me to capture my own take on street poetry, too. When I said in my story post review that I would go as far as to call “The Street Poet” life changing, I wasn't even kidding, because Jaidyn honestly, throughout his words and imagery, captures 21st century life in Melbourne all its hues - I found myself drawing parallels to Adelaide city, too, but more so thinking towards all the homeless, thinking that (as I know I've mentioned before), people in positions of power should be doing something, but are too indifferent with their greed, there's honestly so much wrong with the world (broadly speaking), and there's so much insanity, but Jaidyn's book reminds us that there's lots of beauty, too. I hasten to add too, I feel like the Poet captures the essence of why we, as Writers, write - though I'm also reminded of something a fellow Poet told me once after he was asked, because I feel like the same applies to all of us here, Jaidyn too, “how can I nor write?” Aside from highly encouraging everyone to read this wholly evocative book, I must also say how much I enjoyed the format - poetry, journal entries, graffiti style artwork- all heightening the emotion woven throughout the book! I literally very much want to read it again already! What a journey! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[meva · Rating 5 out of 5]

finally got to writing this review

can I just begin by saying.. this book is so pretty. the combination of different art styles, photos, collages, typewriter entries as well as the handwritten notes just fit the aesthetic of this book & the writing so well. you can just tell the amount of effort put into how it looks and feels, which I will always appreciate as an artist.

I’ve owned this book for months and I can’t bring myself to put it on a shelf because I want it out and displayed. extra points because it matches the vibe of my room ✔️

I think it’s inevitable that you start to feel the rawness and vulnerability in this book. the entries feel personal and in many many instances, extremely relatable.

I think the theme of paranoia is something I especially relate to, as I have since childhood been repeatedly told of the horrors that await me outside my home. ruffians, thugs, poison ivy, quicksand, cannibals and snakes, the plague etc. (if you know you know)
so lines like “my life has been bubble-wrapped, like my body is some delicate china that belongs in my grandmothers glass display cabinet” felt so oddly validating and relatable.

it’s such a common feeling, knowing deep down that growth requires stepping into the unfamiliar, but being paralysed by the what ifs. the comfort of what we already know can go back and forth between feeling so safe, while also weirdly claustrophobic and sometimes even more anxiety inducing.

this is where I think ‘the street poet’ shines as more than just poetry, but rather a story of influence and transformation at a very realistic and human pace. seeing it unfold through the experiences and reflections of johnny lock, we’re shown what it looks like to break through debilitating thoughts - even when it’s terrifying - even when those thoughts return from time to time like a curse.

“I am afraid to do anything worth doing, and that is the best reason to do those things,” sums this up perfectly. that growth and change don’t come without fear but are rather born from it.

just like that one quote from a princess movie I will be judged for quoting from; “the brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all”

I am so honoured to have been a part of a project like this. seeing the little sketches in their context was so fun and satisfying, and seeing the artworks by the other artists made me feel proud to be among them

if you’re into poetry or you appreciate someone to just lay it all out there with no filter, just raw feeling and thoughts and artistry, this book is worth your time. ‘the street poet’ was nothing short of *human* and felt insanely validating - as a fellow overthinking paranoiac.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS. This is my kind of book. The Street Poet is magic.

I worked in Melbourne's CBD for a decade, and caught an early train every morning so I could watch and witness, like Johnny Lock. And the way Jaidyn has managed to capture it all in this book is exactly as I remember it.

Even if you've never set foot in Melbourne's city streets, Jaidyn has captured it all more authentically than I've ever seen. Not just in the photographic images or collages or words, but in the feelings they conjure when they're combined.

You may not be an anxious, paranoid poet, but maybe that's why Johnny/Jaidyn sees things so much more clearly than others who've written about this city. Melbourne is beautiful and shiny on the outside, but when you dig down, it's gritty, defiant, industrious, resilient, and that's because of the people who are hidden away behind the shiny facade.

I'm a proud Melburnian, a writer, a witness to this city. And I'm stoked to have this time capsule on my bookshelf.

[Fotoula Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't call yourself a Melbournian until you've read 'The Street Poet'

A brave and honest telling of the rawness of life that is the city of Melbourne by the poet himself and of those who know it best, the poeple who live on the streets. We write best when an element of fear and doubt exists within us and the author has delved deep into his own soul so that we the readers can reap the rewards. Keep an eye on its upcoming release.
One you will take off the shelf to read over and over again. BRAVO!

[M. Desmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid effort for a debut solo book.

Written in a personal, diary-entry style format,
the co-author of a ‘There’s a tale to This City’ explores himself in depth on his journey from anxious isolation to watcher and documenter of the streets of Melbourne.

When he is present, Jaidyn is the audience, and the streets, in all it’s glory and grit, are his theatre.

[Naomi Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Depicting both himself and his debut solo-authored novel as ‘the Tales of a Paranoid man’, Jaidyn Attard provides us with raw and hard-hitting observations of Melbourne and its surrounding suburbs, taking readers across a year and a half of street wandering and writing, sometimes solo, sometimes accompanied. Jaidyn captures Melbourne in a light that the city appears to have long-wanted dimmed out, writing his way through the streets in all of their bad and ugly — yet he still manages to fleck and inject rays of good and hope to break up the darkness — all the while maintaining his guise as a relentlessly honest street poet: ‘I am merely writing what I see and what I know.’

Almost if not all poems in the collection involve people-watching or something I’ll coin ‘people-wondering’: Who are these people going about the streets? What brought them to be here? Who and where will they be in future, especially a future underpinned by a global pandemic? The Street Poet asks.

‘I’ve started taking note of everything. People I serve over the bookstore counter. People I encounter on the bus. People I witness on the train… it helps with the fear… That is what writing about my world is like. Order to chaos. Beauty to madness. Opioid for the pain.’

Even in the harsher things he sees, Jaidyn applies layers of empathy. There is affection written into the recollections of those he encounters, into their traits, good and bad: Julie with and without her faded-pink earmuffs, the Money Monk, Leon the Quantum Philosopher, Jaidyn’s friend Turtle, and even the story’s antagonist, ‘The Stranger’ are written not only with a careful eye for detail but also with a caring mind to understand. ‘He’s just a person’, Jaidyn writes of The Stranger in The Stranger’s closing appearance (and one of the book’s final poems), ‘and i wouldn’t wish his inflictions on the worst of my enemies.’

Diary entries punctuate the poetry, adding chronology and time-stamping Jaidyn’s metamorphosis into ‘Johnny Lock’, his street-poet alter ego: ‘who is Johnny Lock? he who is me who is not i cannot answer.’ These entries also time-stamp our way through the two years that Jaidyn writes over, the two years that saw Melbourne globally renowned for a title contrasting the 7-times-in-a-row winner of ‘Most Liveable City’, the world’s ‘Most Locked-down City’.

After the preface and before we are welcomed into the Paranoid Poet’s brain, there is a Sci fi–esque piece titled ‘Morwell on Lock’ which proclaims, ‘this collection accurately documents the experiences of a conflicted young man in Melbourne during one of its most turbulent periods.’ The Street Poet serves as a historical piece not only for the author but also for the city of Melbourne.
Jaidyn and I grew up in the same postcode. The Street Poet’s tales extend to this area and to others across broader Victoria. Poems like ‘The Broady Bronx’ allow Jaidyn to ‘share cold stories from home’ and leave us with the question, about Broadmeadows and other suburbs like it, ‘Who cares about here?’ Jaidyn’s opening dedication, ‘For the streets of Melbourne. I’m giving back from where I take,’ proves perhaps truest to suburbs like Broadmeadows, on the city’s forgotten outer.

In The Street Poet collection, Jaidyn is also proving himself as an established writer. He seamlessly switches between themes of paranoia and delusion to those of hope and romanticism, all the while maintaining his signature style: short, sharp lines with uncapitalised proper nouns and minimal punctuation (a very smart and very punk undercut to those who think they own the ‘elite’ you can find in ‘Literature’).

Jaidyn also pays tribute to many great poets, lyricists and other writers and artists in The Street Poet. Standouts include Jaidyn’s adoption of dry and bleak observations, questioning the human condition, reminiscent and in homage to Leonard Cohen. Jaidyn also appears to have employed Cohen’s dogged work ethic, The Street Poet diary entries reading like a writer who just doesn’t stop. Jaidyn pays respect to his university poetry teacher, the late Dr Ania Walwicz. In the poem named after the book title, ‘The Street Poet’, you can hear Ania: ‘he is a street poet now and so he is saved now’; ‘he becomes me now’. A Walwicz flow and favour for repetition and touching on surrealism shines through these lines. As another former student of Ania’s, I heard her voice very clearly in this piece and believe others familiar with her works will too. Other poems like ‘My home suburb’ are undeniably punk, even punk band–esque: the ‘bookshop of broken dreams’ line reminding me of a Green Day track, birthing the ‘Jaidyn of Suburbia’.

I can’t tie this review off before touching on the artwork that permeates this beautiful book: from scribbles to fine-cut collages, phone photography to commissioned graphics, The Street Poet truly is a work of art; it IS street poetry in paperback format.

Skill, determination and hard work considered, above all else, so much love has gone into this book. So many hands and hours of labour, most of all being the author’s; an author who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty, his fingernails gritty beneath their chipped-black coat, and the author openly talks about the difficulties of making the book too – and yet, he kept going.

Though harsh and honest, The Street Poet reminds us there’s always beauty to be found, in Melbourne and in the rest of the world: ‘I’ve always had enough hope to keep me going – but now I’m a hopeful vandal at a time when the world needs it.’ Jaidyn does very well to tie the different pieces of poetry and prose throughout the collection together with his common thread of ‘this is life as I live it’.

Jaidyn deserves all of the credit he’s received for The Street Poet as his debut novel. I can’t wait to see what’s next from him, from Melbourne’s Street Poet. The lesson I reached at the end of the book hits here: may The Street Poet continue to strike us with his words. Again. And again. And again. And not let anything strike him down: not The Stranger, not the hecklers, not the critics, not anything. For us and for himself, for good times and hard, for now and for always, may Jaidyn tell the world loudly and proudly: i am Johnny lock/ and i am a street poet.

Jaidyn’s The Street Poet offers an unfiltered view of what lies beneath the iconic streets, tourist attractions, tram networks and all the other glitz and glamour of the City of Literature, Melbourne. I recommend this book to people who live, have travelled or plan to travel, or are otherwise interested in Melbourne.

[Zahra Muhammad · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Street Poet is an incredibly raw and real account of the city of Melbourne, particularly during the pandemic lockdown years. The book contains a mixture of poetry, diary entries, collages and photographs that work together to form a loose narrative with plenty of intriguing characters and locations, all told through the lens of Johnny Lock: the paranoid poet.

As someone who has lived in Melbourne their whole life (much like Johnny Lock), I know how vibrant and busy this city is and The Street Poet truly brings to life the energy of our city in its pages. And while there is so much to love about Melbourne, this book also tackles the dangers and issues our city and its inhabitants face in an honest, empathetic and thought-provoking way.

What I love most about The Street Poet is that it is a call to action. "Pay attention," "take note," "get involved" it screams. With its grungy character, punk attitude and evocative imagery, The Street Poet will awaken the rebel within you.

Whether you yourself are looking to try your hand at street poetry, want to learn more about the city of Melbourne or just want to read something that accurately illustrates the atmosphere of your city, The Street Poet is the book for you. Pick it up and discover the secrets of Melbourne that Johnny Lock can share with you.

[kota:) · Rating 5 out of 5]

i took my time reading this one and i’m glad i did! it allowed me to fully absorb jaidyns unique observations of melbourne’s soul, and the vulnerability he practiced as he spoke of his own personal life and experiences. this book left me thinking about things i might never have before.

[courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure if there are any adequate words to some up how I feel about this book. I feel longing, nostalgia, sadness, anger and I feel SEEN.

As someone who also grew up in a small surrounding suburb of "The Broady Bronx" I know all too well what it is like. Having this in common with the author made me realise I wasn't alone in the desire to escape such a place, which I did 3 years or so ago. I also worked in the Melbourne CBD for around 5 years. A sense of nostalgia washed over me hearing the gritty stories of what it is really like there, instead of the romanticized tourist appropriate version of it.

I'm a page folder, I ended up folding exactly 22 pages to reference again later, which never happens that much! I kept trying to remind myself of ways I wanted to be able to explain my love for this book while reading, but now that i've finished it I feel lost for words completely (Ironically this is my most lengthy review to date). I can't pick even a couple of pages to talk about in length, because to choose those pages over others feels like a crime.

I find myself wanting so badly to visit every place mentioned in this book. From the cute french cafe (which is now temporarily closed down for some reason), to Seaholme Station, to Hosier Lane even though I've been hundreds of times. Just to find and read more of Johnny Lock's words hopefully. Also, his love and appreciation for the NGV made my heart soar, as it has been my comfort place for nearly 10 years.

Something ironic did happen while I was reading this book. I was sitting in a Melbourne cafe, sipping an oat milk latte when I happened to spill my glass over one of the pages, which is extremely saddening but somehow feels so authentic and right at the same time.

If anyone reading this wants to know the pages I folded down, meaning the pages that pulled me in, sucked me up and spat me out the most, here is a short list:
14, 35 (the page I spilt my coffee on), 48, 72, 76, 86, 92, 98, 100, 112, 114, 125, 127, 133, 154, 173, 198, 201 (hahaha), 220, 268, 273 and 277

All in all, GO READ THIS BOOK it is now added to my list of favourites.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through his alter ego Johnny Lock, Jaidyn Luke Attard brings the streets of Melbourne to life in The Street Poet. This collection is an infusion of diary/poetry/prose/novel. It is truly one of the most ridiculously captivating collections I have read.

This collection is based on the characters on the streets of Melbourne, the tussle of the forgotten people in back alleys most and under bridges, are ignored by the common man. This book lets you develop relationships with Johnny the street poet and his friends as they stop to listen to, learn from and write the untold stories of the people he meets.

It is based during covid lockdown times and takes us back to the paranoia, the loneliness and solitude we all felt during that time and deals with the feelings of re-entering what was a different world afterwards.

This book is 342 pages and i read it in two sittings, that explains how captivating this story was and how drawn in you become. It has lessons in every page about stopping to smell the roses and to never judge a book by its cover because who knows what characters you may be missing doing so.

Absolutely and without a doubt this has pushed its way into my 2023 top 5 and I can promise this is going to become one of my most read books. Do yourself a favour and buy a copy.

[James Alfred · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've got this kid's voice in my head.
Bright innocence like absurd sunrise,
blue and humming to the poems of Kerouac, but against and through the fog of tormented Gothic swell.

And how's it different from Fitzgerald?
Killing works authentic and soft, so young?

23 at the writing of This Side Of Paradise.
The same age as Attard at the writing of The Street Poet.

Inspiration has no boundaries, other than
conformity... numbing pestulance that drips instead of fierce internal battles that pour.

I am inspired.

A work of nothing but blissful perseverance and human connection.

The Street Poet will age lovingly and touch the hearts and minds and squashed desires of born artists for generations.

It seeks the voices of everyone who reads it. Beckons them off the couch, out of comfort, into the streets, into humanity, to play with the gifts of perception and conversation, of integrity and fear.

No stars for this book. It's beyond them.

... or it's all of them at once, even if only five are offered.

[Jay Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Street Poet is a dive into the mind of Johnny Lock. A cut-up beatnik/grunge inspired art book/poetry collection. I don't know how to describe it. It's its own beast. You can tell how much Jaidyn cared about this project, how he tried to make it his own regardless of any exterior voice. He put his heart and soul into this book. You can tell, to the very last detail. I'm not a poet or into poetry so much, so I'm not one to rate poetry, but I enjoyed his narrative writing and enjoyed some of his poems. If anything, this book is worth getting if you're a graphic designer, painter, collage addict, or poet, so you can feel inspired on how to format books or poems. He tried something different with the way a book looks and I'm all for it!

Overall, if you're into poetry, I'm sure you'll enjoy this book. An insight into Johnny Lock's mind. I'm sure this book is a stepping stone towards a blossoming career for a young man eager to catch his dreams. Rock on.

[teannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

i could barely put this book down once i got into it, i wish more people felt this way about melbourne, society, the homeless, i wish more people noticed the little details in every day life the way ‘Johnny Lock’ does, so many pages restored my faith in ways just knowing there is atleast one person out there trying to make a difference in this city, and this book is proof of that. it’s inspired me to do continue to care and lookout for the vulnerable and to be more grateful for what i have that is for certain. such a good read,so many inspirational, humorous and interesting stories captured, and the photographs and artwork placed throughout the pages were so cool to look at. the best poet in melbourne.

[Chloe Joiner · Rating 5 out of 5]

im not 100% finished the book yet but i got it yesterday while in melbourne and started reading basically straight after I got it i was so excited. It's a great book I got sucked in right away, after I started reading I literally couldn't stop. this work is so interesting and it's great to see another side of Melbourne that not everybody has experienced. jaidyns work has had a massive influence in my own and has inspired me greatly to keep going and trying new things. not only has it given me inspiration for my own work it has given me a whole new perspective for my day to day life and i look forward to seeinf more work from this author!

[Rain · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Street Poet is a fantastic, inspiring, punk, unique out of the box read. The format and style is different from (most of) all the other books and it fits perfectly the poems and tales told, which are very memorable and often inspiring like little bright sparks in the dark. Loved getting to see Melbourne from Johnny Lock's perspective with all its ups and downs and it was amazing to follow him on his journey to finding his own self and his own voice. Keep rocking & walking barefoot 🤙🏼

[Alisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The street poet is an outstanding exploration of the streets of Melbourne and provides a voice to the voiceless. Reading this will make you want to take on the streets and create art of your own, truly an amazing book full of introspection, rebellion, compassion and an eye for the darker corners of the city. 100% worth the read.

[Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the raw emotion shown through the use of his own personal experiences whilst still being able to channel the lives and stories of everyday strangers through his unique lenses into easy to read poetry and word play. I especially loved how it also helps highlight and showcase everyday struggles.

5/5 read in a single day

[Liam Derby · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredibly fascinating and engaging read with pages that draw you in with a punkish prose and visuals that jump off the page at you. The book is an excellent mix of poetry, an involved story and lots of familiarity, especially for those who live in Melbourne. An excellent book, whose echoes of the city strike directly at you - recommend highly !

[Caitlin]

A unique slice of life read that delves deep into Melbourne’s street life through a deeply honest lens. Attard’s poetry is raw and confessional and doesn’t shy away from the gritty reality of both the city’s homelessness crisis and his personal journey with paranoia.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a force of nature. Peering into views of the city that few dare to see and yet be engulfed by at all times. I ought to remind myself to look outwards more often and find the stories screaming to be heard.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

By far the best thing I've read this year.

[maddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won't be able to view the streets of Melbourne in the same way after reading this (in the best possible way). What a wonderful piece of art. I know I'll be coming back to this for years to come.

[Geordie Ball · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully introspective book about Melbourne during the lockdowns, the journals and commentaries of Johnny Lock bring an intrigue to the city that is easily missed by those living in it.

[Vi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful book, and particularly moving as a person from Melbourne. I couldn’t recommend it enough !!

[Lou Braibant · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite books I read this year. Jaidyn crawls into Kafkaesque paranoid episodes to conquer the streets of Melbourne. Touching and inspiring!

[Morgan Thistlethwaite · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a rare and beautiful thing it is to be swept up in the rhythm of someone else’s words.

Through his alter ego Johnny Lock, Attard invites the reader to follow him on a journey of self-discovery in his endeavour to start a revolution of words. With youthful vigour, Johnny Lock types up poems and posts them to walls, lamp posts, and any surface he can find along the very streets that inspire him. This collection of poems, musings and stories is a snapshot of lockdown life from a self-proclaimed paranoid poet very much used to the comfort and safety of a world behind screens and locked doors.

Down dank laneways and dead-end streets, the reader is introduced to tragic, comic, dangerous, and often broken characters that comprise the very essence of inner city living. This is where Attard truly shines as Johnny Lock’s poetry illuminates the humanity of these characters with an openness and sincerity that invites empathy for individuals who, for reasons beyond their control, get the short end of the stick in government support.

At times sobering yet always intoxicating, Attard’s words manage to evoke a vibrant energy reminiscent of ‘60s counterculture. Inspired by the past, this energy is synthesised for the 21st century Millennial who recognises cause and effect and also considers consequences.

The Street Poet is a freeform gonzo collage journal love-letter (yes, all of these things) to the city of Melbourne and the people who inhabit her streets. Perhaps this book will earn a place alongside its influences, a stepping stone for a whole new audience on the road to revolution.