CRACKER DUO OF POETS

Yes I’m going to harp on about it! Expecting a cracking good night on Monday — featured with Ali Whitelock at That Poetry Thing That is on at Smith’s on Mondays. Starts 7. 00 pm with an open mike which is always a fabulous diversity of voices. 

Ali Whitelock is known for her ingenious use of metaphor and her gobsmacking word warp and flair. Originally from Glasgow, she spends her days writing, mentoring, fantasising about living in a windswept cottage in winter on the Isle of Skye and shouting at the telly when the Liberals come on. Meanwhile Ali and her French, chain-smoking husband have as of recently settled into living in an old church in Yass which at least, like Canberra, has a good winter — often cold, foggy and … windswept. Click here for Ali's books including The Lactic Acid in the Calves of Your Despair (Wakefield Press).

I’m reading from my latest collection Bitumen Psalms (Flying Islands) which includes a long sequence of tiny poems (haikuish) mainly from along the Hume Highway. Another celebration of place. Smaller sequences touch on caring roles and poke at Tai Chi and other things … no I mean it … there’s a section called Things. Fitting for That Poetry Thing don’t you think. I’ll also read from The Wear of my Face (Spinifex Press) which has a broad range of topics, some of them quite topical. Not sure what I’ll pick yet.

Hope to see you Monday evening, Smith's Alternative, 76 Alinga Street, Canberra City. By the way there is a lot of work going on in the city — traffic changes and detours. Allow extra time to find your way about. Or park in the multi-storey or shopping centre car parks and walk through.