BEFORE THE QLD POETRY FESTIVAL

April 16:

Here I am in Queensland somewhere west of Chinchilla (Burncluith area) and beyond a dingo fence. I feel I’ve really gone bush. I’ve said hallo to the cows including Sweet Pea, Baked Bean, Boogers and Aniseed from the other side of the fence (cows are big); had a bush walk along the east fence, the west fence, the north dam, the new fences, the new gates, the creeks; photographed native wild flowers; did a tour by truck of the back paddock (2-3 hours), into the spotty gum country, down along the Wild Dog fence, jumping in and out to examine and photograph trees in all their colours and hear about ‘old timer things’ like how they used to log on this place. There are koalas but we didn’t see any and birds but it was too hot for them. A frog called out just once but loudly. In a few days I will head to Brisbane for the Queensland Poetry Festival. It's important to get around poetry/literary events even if you are not performing ... don't you think? Be the audience they need; see what's going on where, what other poets are writing where, what the issues and trends are there ...

Ooops that's not me although it is a ginge ... hang on ... 

There I am. Me and a big sky. 

Me and a little brother called Stretch.

POETRY PERSISTS IN BINALONG

 

 

A superb Brush with Poetry on Zoom last Sunday with nature poems, sonnets, prose poetry, original and traditional bush poetry performances, deep poems and humorous poems. Our usual mix. There were lively connections from poet to poet throughout the afternoon that couldn’t have been planned better.

 

Fifteen participants Zoomed from Binalong, Yass, Gunning, Wallendbeen, East Sydney’s lockdown and Canberra. Above are just some of the poets/audience (from left): top row: Chris Dorman, moi, Lindsay Thompson and canine friend; middle row: Mike Lavis, Robyn Sykes (host), Hazel Hall; bottom row: Harry Melkonian, Janne Graham, Jennifer Rivers and Colin Campbell. The screen shot is posted with permission (sorry I couldn’t crop the Chat column for some reason … nothing personal there so I don't think anyone will mind ).

 

There was time to reminisce on Lindsay’s first Brush and first public performance. From the publicity shot Lindsay thought he would be reciting his work to about eight people and when he got there, found an audience of almost fifty! He still fronted the mic and of course everyone loved him. Meanwhile Harry is surviving lockdown. New to Brush he intended to only listen in but lucky for us he shared two very thoughtful poems at the end of the afternoon. Janne read beautiful poems — one rich with birdlife and the other about elephants. In the spirit of the afternoon Janne acknowledged Hazel and also Yass poet Jane Baker (in her absence) for inspiration. Hazel writes sonnets, haiku and tanka and is the indefatigable coordinator of the Manning Clark House monthly poetry readings.

 

Big thanks again to Robyn, host and MC, and the driving force keeping A Brush with Poetry alive. She kept us Zooming all through the worst of 2020, moved it to Room and Zoom in 2021, Room only in May and back to Zoom this month as a precaution. Thank you also to Southern Tablelands Arts(STA) who support this event and the Zooming, performer Peter Rose who assists when its Room and Zoom and Café on Queen who provide the Room (an atmospheric studio space) when it is Covid safe enough. A Brush with Poetry is a Binalong Arts Group open mic event (Robyn is the President).

Writers tip: Zoom or Room, try out your work and practise reading at open mic opportunities.

DRAGONS & POETRY PRIZES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poetry for the Planet: An Anthology of Imagined Futures is a fundraiser for the Australian Conservation Foundation. Open to Australian and New Zealand poets, submissions close April 5. Editors: Julia Kaylock and Denise O'Hagan. More information at: https://www.litoriapress.com/poetry-for-the-planet-anthology 

Echidna Tracks is taking submissions of haiku on the theme of Light & Colour throughout April. 

Palette Poetry competitions include: The Emerging Poet Prize (no more than two collections published) closing April 19 with a prize of US$3000: the inaugural Sappho Prize for self-identifying women with a prize of $2500 — submissions accepted April 20-June 13; The Palette Poetry Prize open June 19- August 16 with a prize of $4000. All have smaller prizes for second and third place.

The $3000 Bruce Dawe Poetry Prize closes June 4.

The Newcastle Poetry Prize closes June 28. Judges this year are Toby Fitch and Jill Jones. First prize is $15000 with another $10000 worth of place/prizes.

Thanks to the Women's Poetry Opportunities Facebook page for some of this information. Breathe fire into your work and get it out there, roar like a dragon.

DON'T BE LIVE POETRY DEPRIVED

 

[Just a couple of lines]

TREE WEEK POETRY ZOOM Monday May 4

Yes there is still poetry! Poetry and trees! That Poetry Zoom celebrates trees on Monday May 4. Includes readings of poems written for trees in Hague Park, Canberra as part of the Hague Park Experiment Heritage Signage project. [Mouthful.] Shane Strange will fill you in, followed by the poets Faye Brinsmead, SubhashJaireth, Asha Naznin, Melinda Smith, Martin Dolan, Gemma Nethercote-Way, Penelope Layland, Kerrie-Anne Nelson, Zoe Anderson. 

THE ACT'S Tree Protection Officer, Samantha Ning will speak briefly about Tree Week, followed by readings by Robert Verdon, Lizz Murphy, Judith Nangala Crispin, Kate McNamara and (tbc) Jenni Kemarre Martiniello organized by Sarah St Vincent Welch.

There’s an open mike before and after the tree poetries — sign up when the virtual doors open at 6.30 pm. Event starts 7.00 pm with Sarah St Vincent Welch as emcee. If you are not already on their email list you can find out about it on Facebook where the Zoom invitation link is also posted just prior to each event.

VOICEBOX FREMANTLE Monday May 4

Also on Monday it’s a special Voicebox Fremantle launch of Letters to Our Home hosted by Vivienne Glance at 7 pm. Readings by Michael Williams, Liana Joy Christensen, Allan Padgett, Tara Hurst, Deanne Leber, Natalie D-Napoleon, Jackson, and Allan Boyd. There is also an open mike. Virtual doors open at 6.45 pm. This project was conceived during the Australian bushfire crisis. The Zoom link is here: https://www.voiceboxpoets.com/calendar

Self-serve Open Mike

Voicebox is currently running the Self-serve Open Mic — Alex Chapman’s brainfart he says — where you are invited to post a poem on their FB page during the normal meeting time-slot. Can be text, audio, video. Great idea. Founded in 2004 by Desmonda Kearney, Voicebox normally meets on the last Monday of the month. Time?? Website: https://www.voiceboxpoets.com/calendar

THAT MOTHER TONGUE ZOOM Monday May 11

A rare opportunity. That Mother Tongue Poetry Zoom featuring Thandi Katase, a storyteller from the Makwayi clan of the Xhosa tribe from South Africa. Thandi will tell stories and share her original poetry in Xhosa and English. She might introduce everyone to Imbongi praise singing. Share a poem in a language other than English — or a mix of languages. Email: mothertonguemic[at]gmail[dot]com to sign up in advance, or sign up on the night. Limit 4 minutes. Thank you That Poetry Thing committee member Jacqui Malans.

A BRUSH WITH POETRY Sunday May 31

Watch for Binalong's first Brush with Poetry Zoom, May 31, 2.00 pm.

***

Writers tip: 

Cut your performance teeth on Open Mike opportunities but be considerate of your emcee, your fellow poets and the audience and follow the rules — one poem is one poem, three minutes is three minutes and one minute is one minute, etc. Have your poem ready. If it's in a journal bookmark it (preferably with something that won't flutter to the floor just when you need it); if it's on a device make sure your poem is on screen ready to go. Currently on Zoom we all also have to remember to mute when listening to other poets and unmute when it's our turn :)

A TIME TO SIT WITH THE TREES

Just a scrawl

Update December 3, 2022: This post turned out to be a seed of a poem which was eventually developed enough to be accepted into a brand new anthology titled It's All Connected: Feminist Fiction and Poetry (Spinifex Press). See more in today's new post Poetry — It's All Connected.

Walt Whitman watches as I approach his table Oh you again he says   I’m not in the mood  he looks perplexed Ignoring him I sit under the depiction of a famous portrait of the poet Watercolour and ink I think

Eventually without realizing it I fold into the same position – physical that is  I don’t realize it until another customer excuses himself I’m sorry I just have to tell you you look exactly like the picture behind you – have you seen it? I’ve forgotten the detail, turn and there we are mirror image hand on chin staring … Walt stares across the quiet café out through the glass into the streets where a pandemic is unfolding

I am cramming on space weather and real weather while bare earth too slowly washes green and groves of sorry trees freshen expand their curling leaves

 **

This is from March 5. With work, workshops, poetry readings and you name it cancelled and everyone in at least semi self isolation it’s a time to ‘Go and sit in a grove or woods …’ (provided you don't have to travel to get there). More about Walt Whitman* and the wisdom of trees here:

https://www.brainpickings.org/2017/11/06/walt-whitman-specimen-days-trees/

And this website features the original study:

https://www.brainpickings.org/2018/08/15/walt-whitman-specimen-days-poetry-art/

*Yes I did have Walt Wisdom!! I've corrected it.

MORE OF THAT POETRY THING!

Marie MacMillan (Sydney) opens the open mike!

That Poetry Thing! that's on Monday Nights at Smith's, Smiths Alternative, 76 Alinga Street Civic ACT

Had the best time at That Poetry Thing! on Monday night. Apart from stunning poets Sarah St Vincent Welch and Anna Couani and their book launches, there were good performances in the open mic session, starting with Marie MacMillan and her entertaining acronym tongue twister. Thanks to the team of poets who keep this lively program happening every week. See below for programmed features over the next few weeks or visit https://www.smithsalternative.com/calendar (and thank you to poet Hazel Hall for including this info in her own mail-outs).

 

15 April

Featuring a reading from Behrouz Boochani’s award-winning No Friend but the Mountains. Special guests. Silent auction. For a donation, read your own poem or another poet’s on themes of exile, expatriation, border crossings, transposition & assimilation. 

22 April — Richard James Allen + Steve Armstrong

For Easter Monday, a pair of NSW poets both published by University of Western Australia Press. Sydney's Richard James Allen introduces his new collection The short story of you and I, while Newcastle's Steve Armstrong presents poems from his debut Broken Ground.

$10/$5 on the door. Open mic.

29 April — Tricia Dearborn + Gregory Piko

Tricia Dearborn will launch her third collection Autobiochemistry (UWA Press). Tricia has been widely published in literary journals and anthologies. She is on the editorial board of Plumwood Mountain an online journal of ecopoetry.

Gregory Piko's writing has appeared widely. His awards include joint first place in the WB Yeats Poetry Prize for Australia and first prize in the New Zealand International Haiku Competition. Gregory collaborated with Vanessa Proctor from Sydney in writing Blowing Up Balloons: baby poems for parents (Red Moon Press).

$10/$5 on the door. Open mic.

6 May — Asha Naznin + Vesna Cvjetićanin

$10/$5 on the door. Open mic.

13 May — Mother Tongue Multilingual Poetry Night

That Poetry Thing! starts off with a diverse open mike — 
PS Cottier adds her voice

Robyn Sykes (Binalong) performs her poem from the exhibition Bimblebox: 153 Birds

Robyn Sykes (Binalong) performs her poem from the exhibition Bimblebox: 153 Birds

Writers Tip: 
Make use of those open mikes to test your voice, hone reading or performance skills, get your work known.
 

INK, SWEAT & TEARS & A POEM I READ

I visited the current Ink, Sweat & Tears issue thanks to a celebratory Facebook post from Ali Whitelock telling us her poem the cumquats of Christmas past is published in their 12 Days of Christmas 2017 feature. I’m glad I did. Ali’s writing is dense with imagery and emotion. For more of her evocative poems dander over to http://www.aliwhitelock.com/poetry/ Ali Whitelock is a Scottish poet living in Sydney and someone to follow. Back at Ink, Sweat & Tears and I was also impressed by UK poets Jane Burn and Nicola Slee, published on the same day of Christmas.

The journal has a number of categories including Reviews, News, What Makes Writers Tick, Haibun, Haiku and Haiga, and Words & Images. Needless to say, I couldn’t resist the latter. Here I was taken with Kevin Reid’s Victorian Sisters — compelling, broken, tender.

Check out the IS&T anthologies and pamphlets while you're there. If you’re a writer you may be interested in the next submissions deadline which is February 1. Add it to your 2018 list of potential publication opportunities — I know you'll be on that job very soon. Happy New Year by the way.

WRITING & HAPPY ACCIDENTS

Just had a chat with the ACT Writers Centre via their Taking Five column - Capital Letters blog about writing and writing workshops including the imminent Land•Sea•Air series (see the plug top right).

It begins with my writing career - a happy accident ...

Ends with the most common tips I give out at workshops - the need for the old standbys never goes away: have a dedicated writing space (of some sort), have a routine (of some sort), carry a notebook, take yourself seriously even if others don’t, be selective about who you seek feedback from, dream, set goals, just write.

POETRY - THE EXQUISITE DETAIL

Don’t you love it when researching something to find or expand a poem - for example a bird species, the forests in your own region … or bats because both you and a poet friend have had a visit from a furry winged creature – and there is one particularly juicy or unexpected detail that makes you sit up! Or gasp. Or wonder all the more. Or it might come from someone sharing their passion with you or just repeating a bizarre news item. These details can be quite spine tingling. Recently I needed to come up with a poem to post on Project 365 + 1. I’d been thinking about exquisite details and how I’d like to find so many more – and of course the poems they fit into. So for the sake of my deadline I collected together a few I already had handy – a couple I’ve recycled (I confess) and a couple I couldn’t make use of at the time (dammit) – and came up with this draft to post that day (May 19). I must say thank you to Susan (bees and honey) and Leanne (python story). Here's the draft poem:

 

NASA'S DISCOVERY - POETRY

With thanks to Merlin 2525 via Open Clip Art

I can’t thank NASA scientists enough. The lengths they have gone to, to make one of my poems highly topical! It happens like that. Just when you think that poem’s gone a bit quiet now … something happens out of the blue to bring it back into the limelight. So don't give up on anything.

The big news of course is confirmation that there is liquid water flowing on Mars. I suspect NASA has been working on this for a wee while. 

 

You can read the New York Times story here.

You can read my Mars poem below:

HERE WE COME

Our whole lives are broken down journeys

vehicles that spit and fizz with too many mendings

too much age

Wheels worn into the constant blue-black of bitumen

the endless signature inked into suburban arteries

and now across deserts

the red skirt dissected

the stiletto heel stab of rain rare indeed

Only in our heads

despondent as birds standing watch over dead loves

knocked down by speed

pasted to the wake left by two worlds colliding

How concise is colonization

country to country and now planet to planet

Look out Mars here we come

ready or not

© Lizz Murphy

— From Stop Your Cryin (Island Press 2004 RRP $10)

Available from the author

POETRY ANY HOW

Reflecting

 

Having to think through the latest stage of my journey through poetry. The grant hasn’t come off (good on those who were luckier) and the juggle is too much (the balls are crashing down – lucky it’s not chainsaws and cats). How much more can I adapt to fit creativity into circumstances!

I have already adapted by writing mainly micro poetry for about six years. By the beginning of this year I had outgrown the small but often just as challenging micro poem. I was needing the scope of more average size and longer poems and the elbow room of prose poetry again.

Result: yet more micro poems early in the year (see Hospital Poem in the cloud menu) and, resisting the micro poem from then on only two prose poems since. I am spittin.

I am eager to grow as a poet. I want to write consistently and well about themes of interest to me. I want to develop those interests through poetry (next year’s plan … if only). I am desperate to experiment.

Do I have to ask myself what’s really going on. How much is it about the re/direction I thought I was naturally bending towards? How much is it about making a mark, how to get another book out or how to scoop an elusive prize (y’know - for the dolleroos not to mention the invitations)?

The micro poems were a return to my early days of writing. Although pushed into it, for a great time I loved being back in that space. Getting two collections of wee poems published by PressPress (and another pending) was a bonus.

What else belongs to that time … Trying different things. Learning. Focusing on having poems published rather than being too bedazzled by big prizes (they are tantalising though aren’t they). Above all, just writing.

Thanks to a recent chain of events that I won’t go into here I met a particular Indian man who, after I mentioned the Kolkata/Calcutta Book Fair, gave me a link to an article by Eric Weiner titled ‘India’s chaotic lesson in letting go.’ I will paraphrase him paraphrasing Lord Krishna: Give 100 per cent to the job at hand and zero per cent to the outcome – have no expectations.

So back to that time. Writing without expectations. Any thing, any how. Somehow.

Watch this space.

© Lizz Murphy

Ref: ‘India’s chaotic lesson in letting go’ is published in the Travel section of bbc.com on September 15, 2015.

And now I've found the full url: http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20150901-indias-chaotic-lesson-in-letting-go

THE CAMEL SALOON – ONLINE POETRY BAR

I’ve just discovered The Camel Saloon – The World’s Original Online Poetry Bar where ‘dromedaries, malcontents and jewels in the world’ are apparently all welcome. Thank you Russell Streur.

It’s a new year and of course, having written my new year’s resolutions (I joke) I am taking advantage of the break to write, write, write (I wish). I am though (no joke), trying to get myself a bit organized, updating CVs, blogs and most importantly the lists: poems to send; places to send to. You know how it goes.

I’m updating submission deadlines on journals I’m well familiar with and refreshing on others I have just made a note of in the past. The Blue Hour (poetry, prose, flash fiction and short story) has published some good poems online and produces a handsome annual anthology of work selected from those posted through the year.

This is where I stumbled on The Invention of Cali a photograph and poem by Russell which I like a lot. (Sometimes Doom’s Built into the Design of a Thing by Maureen Kingston also stays with me among others.) The Camel Saloon which he operates is mentioned in his bio - now how could I resist! I love these travels. There you will find an interesting range of poems from around the world. Just putting my hand into the glad bag as we speak to give you an example … How about the small poem Detention by Sylvia Cavanaugh or The Reverberations from 9/11 Seem Likely to Continue For Many Years by Ally Malinenko.

Other pages include Postcards where contributors have posted photographs from their home/work-bases in America, Australia, China, Denmark, England, India, Indonesia France, New Zealand, Wales … It’s a bit like carving your initials to prove you are there – but far more scenic or artistic (and it's encouraged). There is also a Bookstore page, Gallery and Bactrian Room. And talking of Bactria that’s how I discovered these exquisite Goddesses:

Goddesses, Bactria, Afghanistan 2000-1800 BCE. With thanks to Wikipedia and Creative Commons:

I, PHGCOM [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC BY-SA 2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons