Life got very busy there for a while and I forgot to mention our Poetry Cabaret in October where we performed the work of 19th C poets and our own contemporary work. Thanks to performers Jennifer Liston, Kerry Harte, John Brydon, Martin Christmas, and Brian and Dianna Bugden. Special thanks to John Brydon for conceiving and organising the entire evening. May there be many more!
Two recent shortlists I’m happy to be on!
Lane Cove Literary Award 2015: shortlisted for the poem Oregon
Melaleuca Blue 2015 Life Writing Competition: shortlisted for the memoir The First Day which will be included in the upcoming collection Do nuns wear knickers? (True stories of school life and what we really learned)
What have we lost? What have we found?
This week I begin my poet-in-residence appointment at the Adelaide City Library. I’ll be at the Library from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Wednesday in November exploring the theme of “Lost and Found” – reading, writing and speaking to library patrons. The month will culminate in a free public Spoken Word performance on Friday 27th November (6:30 – 7:30 p.m.) where I’ll perform both old and new work written during the month. If you’re in Adelaide please feel welcome to drop in the watch, listen, contribute or just say hello!
Start with idealism. Ends always trump means. Gain power. Hold it tight. Become cynical. Break promises. Retain power.
You’ll have many friends, until the end.
You’ll leave.
Or they will.
Aren’t all leaders destined to be replaced?
rob walker 13/09/15
I wrote this liwuli last Sunday at our poetica poetry workshop before Abbott’s demise. It could apply equally to the (then) prime-minister-in-waiting Malcolm Turnbull – or any leader, really.
Prime minister Tony Abbott and Communications minister Malcolm Turnbull attend the UN International Women’s Day Parliamentary breakfast at Parliament House in Canberra, Tuesday, Mar. 03, 2015. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) NO ARCHIVING
A new poem published on the Blue Pepper poetry blog.
I started this one more than ten years ago while on a package tour of the UK. (The minister was real!) I’ve only modified and completed it in the last few weeks.
Thanks again to Justin Lowe for promoting so many Australian poets.