Over the past couple of days I read Shakespeare’s Library: Unlocking the Greatest Mystery in Literature by Stuart Kells [& if books could be considered clickbait, the subtitle is definitely one big troll]. I’d hoped to find something interesting about said library for the basis of a poem. Alas the book is blotchy, all over the shop, often only tangentially or tenuously related to its title. So, I’ve had this idea as a backup as one of the Lawrence’s Maxims series & thought WTH even though it’s not a Saturday (no-one’s probably noticed that’s been a thing) I’m going to be writing about a big old cheap old poor quality book.

Today’s Factoid is one of the few interesting (unknown to me) facts I plucked from Shakespeare’s Library. 

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Day 23 Factoid – Capital Bill

Capital 

Back at the turn of the 20th Century
when Melbourne & Sydney were duking it out
to see who’d be our fair federation captain
some truly godawful names were bandied about*

from mouth manglers like Meladneyperbane & Sydmelperadbrisho (sorry Darwin)

flora & fauna inspired: Acacia, Cookaburra, Kangaremu, Wattleton, & Eucalypta (one I actually quite like)

to the cheeky laconic larrikinesque: Gonebroke, Swindleville, Thirstyville, & Home (surprised Sweet Home wasn’t on the end)

geographically motivated: Austral City, Pacifica, Southern Cross (the fact there already was one in WA existed put the kibosh on this choice toot sweet)

poetically out of place: Aurora, Climax (saucy), Eden, Harmony, Olympus, Paradise, Regina

bureaucratically bland: Captain Cook, Caucus City, Federalia, Frontierland, Hopetoun, Labourville, The National City, New Era, Union City, Unison

& whatever the hell these are: Australville, Aryan City (disturbing), Back Spur, Commonwealth Circular City (huh), Cooksturta, Myola, Wheatwoolgold (you’re just throwing words together now)

As well as — SHAKESPEARE — 

How different might the city of Burley Griffin be with suburbs named Prospero & Capulet & Guildenstern for kidlets to grow up in

*about 700 or 800 reportedly were officially logged & assigned a number
though I’ve been unable to discover the complete list.