Like any self-respecting anomaly, the alleyway frequently strays—and reappears elsewhere in the city. It sparks its usual shady goings-on, then shimmies again. But since materialising off Sun Boulevard, its flaky lamp’s been shining strongly. Cobbles mended. Graffiti scrubbed. When the alleyway tries to evanesce, it wobbles… then trumpets daffodils.

Linda Kohler is a South Australian writer of poetry and brief prose. Her work has recently appeared in The Marrow, The Ekphrastic Review and Meniscus. She can usually be found near water.