A positive review on Gregory Piko’s blog of Vanessa Proctor’s recent collection…. Vanessa’s words know exactly how to fit together and how much to say. Nothing is forced, nothing is rushed. The timing of the words is comfortable. The sound of the words is pleasing. These poems are a delight to read. More at Gregory…
Category: poetry
Henry Sheerwater – Vale
Henry Sheerwater (1984–2025) grew up in Sydney and gained a BA (English) at the University of New South Wales. He lived in Tasmania for many years, writing poetry and essays about ecology, war and literary culture.
Louise Akers | 12 to 20 questions (from rob mclennan’s blog)
(from ‘rob mclennan’s blog’, 17 April 2025) 5 – Are public readings part of or counter to your creative process? Are you the sort of writer who enjoys doing readings? I love doing readings–because they are fun and social and ephemeral experiences, but also it is a hell of a way to edit a poem….
Dulcetly (Kristy Bowen): Adventures in self-publishing
(from a post on Kristy Bowen’s blog Dulcetly | notes on a bookish life – 03 March 2025)) I was moving some books around on my shelf and realized I have now published just as many books via self-publishing as I did traditional publishing…. After 2020, I felt a shift in my relationship toward po-biz…
Rae Armantrout | ‘The absence of certainty’, a conversation with Kate Lilley
(Cordite Poetry Review, 4th February 2025) Kate Lilley: … One of the things you said when we were having a bit of back and forth about how we might do this was when I asked you what often gets left out, because everybody writes about (for good reason) the markedly intelligent, propositional, ‘thinky’ character of…
Five Islands Poetry Prize ~ for a First Book of Poetry
Terms & Conditions This is an annual prize for a first already-published book-length collection of poetry by an Australian poet or a poet living and writing in Australia. The author of the prize-winning book will receive $2750 and the publisher will receive $1100. A book can be entered by the author or publisher. The book…
Alison J Barton – on 3CR’s Spoken Word, interviewed by Indrani Perera
Enjoyed a thoughtful interview with Wurundjeri poet Alison J Barton recently, aired on 3CR’s Spoken Word program (08 August 2024)…. Indrani Perera spoke to Alison about her collection, ‘Not Telling’, Alison’s debut full-length poetry collection published by Puncher and Wattman. Perera began by asking about the book’s ‘intriguing’ title… The title came to me because…
Ron Riekki | WE’RE SITTING AROUND A TABLE NOT FAR FROM THE RUSSIAN BORDER
US author Ron Riekki’s writing takes the measure of topics some might prefer not be discussed – protest, authoritarianism, immigration – as well as issues of which there’s too little discussion – prisons, overpopulation…. Below, references to some recent work … and the Chinese artist talks about holding up signs in Hong Kong that…
RIP David Bircumshaw
Sorry to learn of the loss of English poet David Bircumshaw recently. Had thought I might get to catch up with him on a visit to England mid last year, but it didn’t eventuate. We published a couple of issues together (British and Australian versions) of a short-lived poetry journal (‘The Chide’s Alphabet’) years back;…
2024 Anne Elder Award judges panel announced
Australian Poetry has announced the three judges for the Anne Elder Award 2024 panel. They are Jeanine Leane, Theodore Ell, and Ella Skibeck-Porter. Theodore was the 2022 Anne Elder Award co-winner with Harry Reid (a judge last year) and Ella was Highly Commended in the 2023 Award. 2024 Anne Elder Award panel: Jeanine Leane is a Wiradjuri writer,…
Helen Swain’s poetry collection ‘Calibrating Home’ | launch speech by Gina Mercer (Nov 2024)
Gina Mercer, Hobart | 24th November 2024: So, here is a book. It’s Helen’s book. It’s a very good book. Filled with – and ‘about the goodness of people’. You, all of you – you are a ‘goodness of people’. Gift yourself this very good book. Gift one to any of your people who love…
Tasmanian Literary Awards 2025
The judges have selected longlists in the four book categories: Premier’s Prize for Fiction Premier’s Prize for Non-fiction Minister for the Art’s Prize for Books for Young Readers and Children Tim Thorne Prize for Poetry.
Vale Judith Mok
Sorry to learn of Judith Mok’s death last month. From The Hot Press Newsdesk – 28th November 2024 “Judith was a remarkable woman, a force of life, a powerhouse, with incredible life experience,” a statement from the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris reads. Tributes are continuing to pour in for Judith Mok, following the sad news…
The ubiquitous becomes sublime: Adrienne Eberhard launches ‘undercurrents’ by Jane Williams
undercurrents by Jane Williams’, Ginninderra Press 2023, was launched by Adrienne Eberhard at The Hobart Bookshop on Thursday 29 June 2023. Thank you for joining us tonight for the launch of Jane Williams’ latest collection, undercurrents, published by Ginninderra Press. Like most of you, I imagine, I have been a fan of Jane’s work for…
‘Class’: new (free) downloadable anthology of poems (Meuse Press, Aust)
Maybe of interest? New (free) downloadable pdf anthology of poems entitled ‘Class’ (Meuse Press, NSW Australia, edited by Les Wicks) featuring 74 contributors (45 Australiana along with international contributors published in 14 languages) — at https://meusepress.tripod.com/Meuse.htm (scroll down the right hand side of the page and click on Class.pdf) with contributors including Margaret Bradstock, Kit…
Melrose, Shaine — book launch, Adelaide.
Melrose, Shaine — poetry collection ‘The Natural World Somersaults’. Launch, Adelaide, October 30th 2024
Daiza, Eliza Dune — book launch Melbourne 6th November 2024
Eliza Dune Daiza — poetry collection ‘Haibun Nation & Other States’, launch 6th November 2024.
Elanna Herbert ~ ACT Literary Awards 2024
Lovely to see Elanna Herbert’s 2023 poetry collection ‘sifting fire writing coast’ has been shortlisted in the ACT Literary Awards, along with Sandra Renew’s ‘Apostles of Anarchy’, K. A. Nelson’s ‘Meaty Bones’, Tim Metcalf’s ‘The Moon the Bone’, and Paul Hetherington’s ‘Sleeplessness’. Good luck to all.
Anne Elder Award —Australian Poetry announces Call-Out
KEY DATES FOR THE 2023 AWARD, for first books published during 2023. Open call for entries – Monday, 15 January 2024 Close of entries – Tuesday, 12 March 2024, 5pm (AEST). Books must be postmarked no later than Tuesday, 12 March 2024. Winner announcement – May 2024 Information and enquiries Jacinta Le Plastrier Email: ceo@australianpoetry.org…
Seasonal Poets – The Summer Reading | Monday February 26th (Hobart)
Seasonal Poets returns to Hobart on Monday 26th February for the Summer Reading with poets Pamela Leach, Irene McGuire and Peter Jerrim. Seasonal Poets’ new venue is Fullers Bookshop 131 Collins Street and tickets are $10.00 at the door or via the Fullers website: www.fullersbookshop.com.au./events The $10.00 which no longer needs to be cash includes…
Koraly Dimitriadis — book launch, Launceston 29th February 2024
The TPF 2024 kicks off its first pre-festival event with a book launch by Koraly Dimitriadis – a Melbourne poet, performance artist, film maker and short story writer. Join us upstairs at 6 pm on the 29th February at the Plough Inn (lift available) 170 Brisbane St., Launceston to hear this wonderful and multi-talented woman….
Grace Yee wins at Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards
Huge congrats to Grace Yee (and Giramondo) whose debut collection Chinese Fish, published by Giramondo, was this evening awarded both the Victorian Premier’s Award for Literature, and the Victorian Premier’s Award for Poetry.
Update from Liquid Amber Press – 2024 publications, and beyond
(from Liquid Amber’s newsletter | 19th January 2024) Publications for 2024 – and beyond What an amazing round of submissions we had for the Liquid Amber Publication Call! Thank you to everyone who submitted – for your willingness to share your wonderful work with us. We would certainly love to have been able to publish…
Liz Lefroy and Jonty Watt, a Tasmanian Poetry Festival event – 16th Nov 2023
Liz Lefroy and Jonty Watt – Launceston, November 16th 2023. Visiting UK poet Liz Lefroy Liz’s opening poems of the evening involved “that very British sport of queuing,” the first of which – “In the Queue in the Waitrose Cafe, I Meet My Love” – can be read online at Liz’s website, at Liz…
Winning poem by Marley D — West Launceston Primary School, Year 6 (Red Room Poetry)
Winning poem — Upper Primary (Y4-Y6) with a poem, ‘The Whale’s Wings’, by Marley D Read poem at The Whale’s Wings
Australian poetry news — Five Islands Press
Oystercatcher Enterprises Ltd, a not-for-profit company recently founded by Mark Tredinnick and Steve Meyrick, is proud to announce its intention to revive Five Islands Press as a publisher of new poetry and writing about poetry and other lyric works. Founded in 1986 by Ron Pretty, and named for the five islands off Port Kembla, where…
Pedlars Poetry Open Mic — Launceston, 14th November 2023
The Pedlars Open Mic Poetry night is on the second Tuesday next month: the 14th November. The competition for November will be THE POETRY HANDICAP ! This means that the poets who have won competitions in the past, who have been published and/or are well known poets are handicapped, giving newer poets a greater chance of winning! So enter…
Perth Poetry Festival
Event by WA Poets Inc – Perth Poetry Festival ********* Perth Poetry Festival is continuing its accessibility commitment to those who are unable to attend events in-person OR who live regionally, interstate or internationally. There will be a large number of events that you can attend virtually via Zoom. These events include: – WAPoets Presents, Saturday…
Fullers Poets in Conversation: Esther Ottaway & Susan Austin, 10 August
5.30pm – 6.30pm, Thursday 10 August Fullers Poets in Conversation – Esther Ottaway and Susan Austin Venue: Afterword Café, Fullers Bookshop, cnr Collins and Victoria Streets How intelligent and seemingly social women can be exhausted from undiagnosed autism/ADHD; and how some women end up travelling on unseen, gruelling medical and IVF rollercoasters to become pregnant:…
A new Tasmanian blog — Kim Nielsen-Creeley
Artist and poet Kim Nielsen-Creeley has begun a blog on her website, with her first post about her experience of this year’s Cygnet Folk Festival. The Cygnet Folk Festival 2023 mantra is Back in Full Swing. After such a rich day, I’m feeling it. Professional comedian Jenny Wynter had a Masterclass, Freeing the Funny from 11 – 3.30…
SCAP Writers, featuring Irish poet Kevin Higgins—Sept 2022
Sep 17, 2022 This SCAP writers on Zoom is introduced by Donna Campbell and Linda Jackson and features the writing of Rachel McJury, Katharine McFarlane, Jo Gilbert, David Stakes and the master poet of satire, Kevin Higgins. Kevin Higgins “… death arrives, impeccably dressed.” (Poem ends) “I spent yesterday” (Kevin continues conversationally), ‘in the Accident…
Melbourne Poetry Map
A note from Indrani Perera’s newsletter ‘The Poet’s Express’, (November 2022 issue) exploring Eleanor Jackson’s creation, the Melbourne Poetry Map. Take a walking tour around the city of Naarm (Melbourne, Australia) courtesy of some of the city’s finest poets. Curated by poet and performer, Eleanor Jackson, the Melbourne Poetry Map is a brilliant way to discover a city. About The…
Review, David Mason poetry collection ‘Pacific Light’ (Los Angeles Review of Books, 20 Nov 2022)
Thoughtful words, both by and about US poet David Mason, now resident in Tasmania. Siham Karami reviews Mason’s Pacific Light (Forty South Publishing, Sept 2022)…. In this collection, we sense it in the very first poem, “On the Shelf,” whose title rhymes with and is the same metric length as that of the final poem,…
WestWords—David Adès and Peter Boyle in conversation [24th Nov 2022]
More than an hour of poetry and conversation between poets David Adès and Peter Boyle, on Peter’s selected theme— exploring the unknown in life. DAVID Peter, with the theme that you’ve selected ‘Exploring the unknown in life’, you’re reading poems today from your last two books ‘Ideas of travel’, and ‘Notes towards the dream book of endings’….
Woorilla Poetry Prize 2022
The Woorilla Poetry Prize was judged this year by Kevin Brophy and Alicia Sometimes, with the awards event taking place in Emerald, Victoria. Kevin Brophy spoke briefly about the judging process. ‘I guess I want to remind you at the start that judging a poetry competition is a very human process. There is a human…
Launch of ‘Reaching Light’, by Robert Adamson [Sydney, July 2022]
Robert reading and in conversation with his Flood Editions USA editor/publisher & poet Devin Johnston, with readings by Sarah Holland-Batt and Michele Seminara. The very sad news is that Robert Adamson is gravely ill. * * * * …
Anne Collins—book launch
Lovely to see that Anne Collins has launched her newest collection of poems and prose—’Listening to the Deep Song’ (Bright South)—in Hobart last week. The book was launched at Hadley’s Hotel on 11th November by Petrina Meldrum: I’d like to say how happy I am to be back in Hobart to share in the…
Hobart launch—Jan Colville’s ‘a small universe’
Jan is releasing a new chapbook of her poetry, a small universe! (published by Bright South). Where: Hobart Bookshop When: 24th of November, at 5.30pm Please rsvp: rsvpbrightsouth@gmail.com or call (03) 6223 1803
Book launch—Gayelene Carbis’ ‘I Have Decided To Remain Vertical’; Melbourne 16 Oct 2022, launched by Marion May Campbell
Plenty of support for Gayelene Carbis, when Marion May Campbell launched her new poetry collection—’I Have Decided To Remain Vertical’—at Readings in St Kilda last month. With Claire Gaskin MC-ing the event, local choir The Red Hot Singers — (‘This is not a choir, it’s a singing group … in other words, informal’, someone clarified;…
Alice Allan—3CR’s ‘Spoken Word’
It was good hearing poet and podcaster Alice Allan in conversation with 3CR’s Waffle IronGirl on the ‘Spoken Word’ show, on the 20th October 2022. Alice has published a couple of poetry titles—’The Empty Show’ (Rabbit Books), and the chapbook ‘Blanks’ (Slow Loris)—but considers herself primarily a podcaster. She produces the weekly podcast ‘Poetry Says’,…
Poetry London—the Poetry London Prizewinners 2022
Streamed live on 14th October 2022. First: Teresa Ott Second: Ann Giard-Chase Third: Daragh Byrne
Tasmanian poet Tim Slade, reading ‘Thylacine’
Tim Slade’s been writing poetry for a decade, his work has appeared in publications as diverse as The Weekend Australian, The Koori Mail, Australian Poetry Anthology, Growing Up Disabled In Australia and Cordite Poetry Review. Originally from Hobart, he settled in the tiny Tasmanian town of Pioneer a decade ago where he’s drawn inspiration for…
Red Room—Showcasing Tasmanian poetry and musicians. Mona, 27th August
Red Room Poetry Month features an afternoon of free entertainment at Mona in Hobart, Saturday 27th August at 1-2.15pm. Come for the art, the architecture, the aesthetic, stay for the poetry. In partnership with MONA, come along to see/hear/feel some of Tasmania’s finest wordsmiths and spoken word artists including Esther Ottaway, Rebecca Young, Rohan King, Kathryn Lomer, Damon…
‘Otoliths’: issue 65, southern autumn issue
Issue sixty-five of Otoliths, the southern autumn 2022 issue, is now up. This issue, which marks the beginning of the seventeenth year of the journal’s existence, contains a mix of — sometimes mixed — photographs, paintings, short stories, poetry, interviews, magazine columns, & manifestos from an international contributor list including Karl Kempton, Linda King,…
Notes from a launch: Esther Ottaway’s ‘Intimate, low-voiced, delicate things’
My take on Jane Williams’ launch of Esther Ottaway’s poetry collection ‘Intimate, low-voiced, delicate things’ in Launceston last year — please visit here. ‘I’ve been a fan of Esther Ottaway’s poetry since her first, small, powerful book Blood Universe some fourteen years ago.’ she said. ‘The long wait has been well worth it and … I suspect Intimate,…
Poetry evening, Launceston — Tuesday 12th April 2022
After a break, poetry is back in Launceston on Tuesday 12th April, in the back bar area of the Sports Garden Hotel, corner of George and Cimitiere Streets. It will be a re-launch of POETRY PEDLARS. Arrive between 7 p.m. and 7.30 for a 7.30 reading start, but come earlier if you want to read in…
Review, Jane Williams’ ‘Points of Recognition’
Alison Clifton reviews Points of Recognition, one of two of Jane’s collections to appear in 2021 (the other: Between Breaths, Silver Bow Publishing, Canada). ‘Jane Williams’ Points of Recognition is inherently human poetry. Her concerns are wide-ranging: from empathy to idiosyncrasy, the mundane to the marvellous, compassion to passion, diffidence and restraint to ecstasy and…
Launch — Les Wicks’ poetry collection ‘Time Taken — New & Selected’
Time Taken — New & Selected’, (Puncher & Wattman) is Les Wicks’ fifteenth poetry collection. 2022 will mark the 50th anniversary of Wicks’ first poem publication. His imprint Meuse Press will turn 45. He has been presenting workshops around Australia across 35 years. Time Taken is a New & Selected collection revisiting his best poems…
Geoff Goodfellow at Adelaide Festival, 7th March 2022
Geoff Goodfellow returns to Writers’ Week with a reading of his new verse novella, ‘Blight Street, (Walleah Press), featuring Geoff and performers Roslyn Oades and Nic Darrigo. (From the festival’s notes): “Set in the northern suburbs of Adelaide, ‘Blight Street’ is written in the language and idiom of the culture it portrays. Harrowing but tender,…
Tasmanian Poetry Festival, September 2022
Noting from the festival’s facebook page … the 2022 festival is now planned for September in several venues over two weekends, with some events on the weekend of the 17th and 18th and the main Festival on the following weekend, from Friday the 23rd to the 25th of September. The festival also hopes to have…
‘Otoliths’ issue sixty-four, southern summer 2022
A southern summer issue of otoliths’ (issue sixty-four), is online featuring the work of 120—130 writers and artists including Tony Beyer, Les Wicks, Pete Spence, John M. Bennett, Eileen R. Tabios, Sheila E. Murphy, Cameron Morse, Alyssa Gillespie and many more. Nothing by editor Mark Young in the issue, but you can savour some recent…
Geoff Goodfellow’s verse novella for younger readers, ‘Blight Street’
The launch of Geoff Goodfellow’s new book, published December 2021 (Walleah Press) and due to be launched in Hobart late February 2022, has been deferred due to covid considerations. More details when available.
Ron Moss — ‘Cloud Hands’ (Nov 2021)
Ron C. Moss is a Tasmanian poet and artist whose haiku and short form poetry, has appeared in leading journals and anthologies across the world. His award-winning poems have been featured many times and translated into several languages. ‘Cloud Hands’ (Walleah Press) is the fourth major collection of Ron’s previously published haiku, and it brings…
Laurie Brinklow — ‘My island’s the house I sleep in at night’ (Oct 2021)
Being an islander means that you aren’t like everyone else.” Bounded by water, you can live your life with certainty knowing where your edges are. Drawn from interviews with artists from Newfoundland and Tasmania, these poems capture what it means to be an islander. To know every rock and tickle, “the sea your road/the hole…
Harry Laing — ‘unsettled’ (April 2021)
‘unsettled; (Walleah Press) ‘unsettled’ is a collection of broad thematic and formal range. Laing renders our history, our current ecological crisis and some of our contemporary mores into a rich, tumbling music, as memorable as it is accessible. The poems that revisit the author’s past are especially poignant: closing some doors as the windows open…
Castlemaine poetry reading
Tuesday 24th November 2009 — Travelled over to Victoria with Jane on the weekend, to the Castlemaine readings run by Ross Donlon at the Guildford pub. Caught up with Robyn Rowland again, she invited us to stay with her in Ireland some time if our visits coincide, ‘I rent a lovely little cottage on Ireland’s…
North to Garradunga: An afternoon at the Republic
Various things draw me to Hobart’s Republic Hotel this afternoon, not least the fact that Pete Hay is reading today. Compere Liz Winfield opens proceedings with work by Barney Roberts and Magenta Bliss (Jenny Boult), a recital that both renews our appreciation of their respective talents and accentuates our loss. Some of us are making…
Chris Mansell —Poetry in a time of fire
‘I go into schools to do poetry workshops/readings. Everyone’s very keen on poetry in schools. It’s part of the curriculum in my state (though less than it used to be) and teenagers still write it (and SMS each other small poems — usually doggerel, often obscene) and some teachers still love it. During the course…
Tim Thorne’s ‘Head and Shin’
Tim Thorne’s new book ‘Head and Shin’ (Walleah Press) will be launched in Hobart by Pete Hay on Thursday 19 Aug 2004, Hobart Bookshop at 5.30 p.m. and in Launceston on Saturday 21 Aug, 2pm at Fullers Bookshop by CA Cranston.