Fellowship of Australian Writers WA invites you to the launch of Lines in the sand new writing from Western Australia
to be launched by Grant Stone Scholarly Resources Librarian, Murdoch University
6.30pm, Thursday 29th May 2008
Centre for the Book, Alexander Library, Perth.
Please RSVP by 20th May 2008 to (08) 9384 4771 or admin@fawwa.org.au
(from the reverse of the invitation)
LINES IN THE SAND '...a vivid and compelling selection...' John Kinsella
A collection of poetry and prose by established and emereging West Australian writers.
Edited by Julienne van Loon and Glen Phillips.
The anthology celebrates 70 years of the Fellowship of Australian Writers WA. See the display in the Centre for the Book for highlights of FAWWA history 1938 - 2008.
If you are unable to attend the launch, order your copy directly from the FAWWA ($29.95 ea) admin@fawwa.org.au or (08) 9384 4771
South Perth POETRY PARK LAUNCH: (quoted from the invitation)
Mayor & Councillors of the City of South Perth warmly invite you to the opening of the South Perth Poetry Park at 5.30pm, Thursday 15th May 2008 at Neil McDougall Park, South Perth.
The Poetry Park will be opened by the Hon. Sheila McHale MLA, Minister for Disability Services, Tourism, Culture & the Arts.
Light refreshments will be served. RSVP essential on 9474 0800 or library@southperth.wa.gov.au
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The Poetry Park, I'm told was instigated by Ken Spillman ~ a wonderful initiative. For your information I've copied the press release which appears on this page:
http://nac.gov.sg/new/new02a.asp?id=348
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Singapore Poets Invited to Launch Poetry Park in Australia 08 May
2008
A Poetry Park will be launched at the Neil McDougall Park in South
Perth, Australia to celebrate the outstanding work and achievements
of Western Australia's poets. The opening also marks the launch of
Over There: Poems from Singapore & Australia, an anthology of
Singaporean and Australian poets, edited by Alvin Pang and John
Kinsella.
The event to be held on Thursday, 15 May 2008 will be officiated by
the Honourable Sheila McHale MLA, Australian Minister for Disability
Services, Tourism, Culture & the Arts.
The Singapore contingent for the launch led by Lee Suan Hiang, Chief
Executive Officer, National Arts Council, will comprise Meritorious
Service Medal recipient, Professor Edwin Thumboo, distinguished poet and literary scholar, Professor Kirpal Singh, as well as acclaimed
Singapore poets, Alvin Pang and Ng Yi-Sheng, and publisher Ethos
Books for Over There, Fong Hoe Fang.
Says Lee, "Singapore's participation in such a major launch offers a
great opportunity for us to promote Singaporean literature and our
writers in Australia in a big way. Considering the large Australian
market for literature in English, it's indeed a milestone for us and
we look forward to more collaborative functions and programmes
between both countries in the future."
First of its kind in Australia, the innovative project was conceived
and coordinated by one of Western Australia's most prolific writers,
Ken Spillman. Says Spillman, "Western Australian writers have long
thought of themselves as isolated. That may be true in relation to
our east coast, but we are realising that proximity to the vibrant
artistic culture of Singapore is much more interesting than
connections with Sydney and Melbourne."
Spillman also feels that the attendance of prominent Singapore poets
at the launch will give the project an international dimension and
will strengthen ties between the literatures of Western Australia
and Singapore. "Alvin Pang's work with John Kinsella, one of
Australia's most celebrated poets, points the way forward. It's
clear that Singapore literature has entered an exciting phase, and
that we can learn a great deal from each other. We can inspire each
other, too - that's the greatest aspect of it all," he adds.
Over There is published under the NAC 50Fifty Co-publishing
Initiative for publishers. Says Fong, "We are very excited about the
level of collaboration and quality work that is coming out of our
engagement with the Australian literary world. We hope this will be
the genesis of what promises to be a brave new world of literary
bridges and sharing that will enhance relationships with our
neighbours far south."
About NAC 50Fifty Co-publishing Initiative
The 50Fifty Co-publishing Initiative is a step towards developing a
greater pool of Singapore literature and an investment in the
development of Singapore's literary publishing industry. The
initiative identifies works that are well-written, distinctive and
with a potential to generate domestic and international interest.
Books published under the initiative include The Lies That Build a
Marriage by Suchen Christine Lim (Monsoon Books), One Earth by Isa
Kamari (Original title in Malay - Satu Bumi) (Ethos Books), as well
as Over There: Poems from Singapore and Australia, edited by Alvin
Pang and John Kinsella (Ethos Books).
About the Poetry Park Project
The first phase of the Poetry Park project involves the installation
of panels displaying the work of 12 of WA's most highly-acclaimed
poets, as well as a "Poets Walk of Honour" featuring plaques bearing
the names of poetry winners of the WA Premier's Book Award. Poets
represented on the panels are John Kinsella, Philip Salom, Fay
Zwicky, Andrew Lansdown, Tracy Ryan, Rod Moran, Dennis Haskell,
Andrew Taylor, Alec Choate, Miriam Lo, Barbara Temperton and Roland
Leach.
Subsequent developments of the park include poetry readings as part
of the community events, poetry festivals and the incorporation of
poetry into public art. The Poetry Park project is funded by the
City of South Perth with the assistance of a Lotterywest grant and
has the support of the State Library of Western Australia, WritingWA
and the South Perth Historical Society.
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It seems we're to be spoilt for choice again - so many poetry
readings and events proving once again that poetry is alive and
vital in Perth! The opening of A Poetry Park in South Perth and another Poetry Launch at UWA Co-op. Congratulations to all involved!
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The Westerly Centre, Ethos Books & indigo journal present readings
from "Over There" & indigo @ UWA Co-op Bookshop
Poetry from Singapore and Australia including Edwin Thumboo, Kirpal
Singh, Lucy Dougan, Nandi Chinna and Dennis Haskell & "Over There"
editors: John Kinsella and Alvin Pang.
5.30pm Friday 16th May 2008
UWA Co-op Bookshop, Guild Village UWA, Hackett Dr, Entry 2, Nedlands
6009
Look on their website for a map: http://www.coop-
bookshop.com.au/bookshop
RSVP: 6488 2069 or uwa-info@...
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THE BOOK SHOW SHARES THE SECRETS OF
SOME GREAT AUSTRALIAN POEMS
Five classic Australian poems enjoy the spotlight in a special feature to be presented during The Book Show on ABC Radio National from 12-16 May.
Each of the five 40 minute programs examines one classic Australian poem. They are all familiar poems, open to many readings, but each gives up new secrets as it is revisited.
12 May - Kenneth Slessor, Five Bells
Ivor Indyk, Emily Maguire and Robert Menzies explore the dark, watery delights of Five Bells and show why, in 1998, it was voted Australia's favourite poem. Themes of time, magic, death, memory, displacement, the immigrant sensibility and the continual possibility of failure brought about by an uncertain self make this episode compelling listening.
13 May - Judith Wright, Rockpool
Can Judith Wright's tough, unsentimental look at the cruelties of life and death teach us how to die? Find out why Veronica Brady, Val Plumwood and Michael Ackland think it can.
14 May - CJ Dennis, The Glugs of Gosh
CJ Dennis presents his readers with three alternatives: whether to speak out against the system and be killed; second to speak out against the system, then to become part of the system with the hope of reforming it; and, thirdly to speak out against the system - then run away. Can the rebel spirit survive and which choice does Dennis make?
15 May - Rosemary Dobson, The Continuance of Poetry
A study of Rosemary Dobson's manuscript papers reveal how the poem finds the poet and how words seem to know more than we do. It is the most abstract episode of the series because it focuses most closely on the qualities of language, the sound, the shape, the texture of words
16 May - A.D. Hope, The Death of the Bird
The secret life of Hope's poem from its first imaginings to the many new meanings it has acquired is evidence of how we read poetry as much as about how it works. Clive James cites The Death of the Bird as one of his favourites, while Ann McCulloch reads the poem as a mantra.
This series of poetry programs is the result of a partnership between ABC Radio National, the University of Technology Sydney, RMIT University and the Cultural Fund of the Copyright Agency Limited (CAL).
The Book Show poetry series will be broadcast at 10am (Local Time) on ABC Radio National from 12-16 May and will also be available to podcast and stream at abc.net.au/rn/bookshow.
