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.

I always find it exciting hearing talented writers’ work for the first time. On Tuesday night I was privileged to hear new work by Aidan Coleman, Jelena Dinic, Amy Matthews and Jill Jones at Ken Bolton’s Lee Marvin readings. If you live in or near Adelaide and have any interest at all in new literature I recommend these evenings. Admission is only $5 and includes a glass of wine and food for your soul. Next month is the 4th Reading:

MAY 28th LEE MARVIN DOES THE CAMEL WALK with Irmina Van Niele, Ken Bolton, Greg Johns & Gretta Mitchell.

More here.

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)

Four and Twenty is a short form poetry e-journal out of Oregon, US. All poems must be four lines or fewer in length and contain no more than twenty words. A new issue of the journal is released (free of charge) on the third Tuesday of each month.

This month’s edition publishes my “Blue Wren”, one of the briefest poems I’ve ever written.

Coincidentally fellow SA poet Max Merckenschlager also has a great little poem Pelican Patrol in the same edition.

You can see them HERE.