rob walker poet

I first saw π.o. (pronounced Pio) at the salt on the tongue Australian Poetry Festival at Goolwa in April, 2010. Then we spoke at the Rabbit launch in Melbourne.

π.o.  generously gave me a copy of the magazine/ journal he edits called Unusual Work and invited me to submit. I was really impressed with the experimental/ alternative work in it and the fact that it was an unashamedly old-school print publication. (They avoid the internet and don’t even accept email submissions – something else unusual.)

In subsequent months π.o. accepted two of my poems; Accents (a poem about my fascination with diacritical marks) and If I were a subjunctive clause (a love song for a grammar teacher based loosely on a 60s folk song and written when I was in Japan in 2012.) I’ve performed it as a song live with ukulele at a couple of poetry gigs in Adelaide. There’s an audio version  on ccmixter.

You can only see the print version in Issue #14 (ISSN 1832-5009) of UNUSUAL WORK. Please consider subscribing. Small presses are keeping poetry alive. It’s available for a mere A$10 a copy from
collective effort press

PO Box 2430
GPO Melbourne
Vic, Australia 3001.

I share publication with Graeme Drendel, Peter Murphy, Kevin Gillam, Gemma White, Arjun Von Craemmerer, Zeb Durant, ACR, Sean O’Callaghan, Sue Elennell, Jeltje, Albert Rotstein, Ross Jackson, Jan Napier, Sjaak de Jong, Les Wicks, Sandy Caldow, Thalia, Marty Hiatt, Robbie Coburn and π.o. himself. There are two more poems – Same and Remember) erroneously attributed to me. I’d be happy to take credit for them but it means that some other poet out there isn’t being acknowledged for her/his great work.

There are a lot of strange ironies at work here…

Last Thursday was the launch of 21D’s Light edition, an issue which included my poem semi-detached. I wrote this poem two years ago when I had to have laser surgery on my right eye when the retina threatened to detach.

It’s a beautiful publication with exquisite photos and some excellent writing.

So here’s the irony – on the very day of the launch in Melbourne I made a hurried visit to my eye specialist. This time the retina in the left eye had torn and I was scheduled for surgery on the following morning. My eye is still swollen, I have double-vision – but I’m hopeful of a full recovery.

Thanks to the 21D team for publishing my work.

Back in the execrable era of Howard and Ruddock I wrote a poem named A Villanelle on Certain Provisions in Relation to a Bill concerning Anti-Terrorism. It’s being resurrected for a poeticA program (ABC Radio National May 11th at 3pm repeat following Thursday at 9pm) focussing on the resurgence of the villanelle in contemporary Australian poetry. It’s also available as a podcast HERE.

Also represented in the broadcast are Stephen Edgar, Melinda Smith, John Kinsella, Jordie Albiston, Suzanne Edgar, Michael Thorley, Jeri Kroll, Timoshenko Aslanides, Ian McBryde and Chris Wallace-Crabbe.

Thanks ABC for publishing my work.

A Villanelle on Certain Provisions in Relation

to a Bill concerning Anti-Terrorism

by the Hon. Phillip Ruddock

This legislation I most heartily endorse

Certain Persons are a risk to our Community.

These matters would be considered in due course..

Asylum seekers must be stemmed at Source

While other options there may well be

This legislation I most heartily endorse

The only point I’d make is…  Force

Is always justified for Border Security.

These matters would be considered in due course…

We are obliged to examine each legal resource

In regard to this, it seems to me

This legislation I most heartily endorse

I’ve repeated this on occasion till I’m hoarse

It’s not a matter I can discuss publicly.

These matters would be considered in due course…

This is not a matter for feelings of remorse

The appropriate committee will put its position undoubtedly.

This legislation I most heartily endorse.

These matters would be considered in due course…

© rob walker, 2006

(from micromacro Seaview Press, Sept, 2006

ISBN 978-174-008-415-4)