Australian poets have had a reputation for being a cantankerous lot, though whether this is still true I don't know. However, what is true is that the announcement by the Australian Government in 2023 that it would appoint a National Poet Laureate was not met by poets (or the literati) with universal acclaim. And why … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: National Poet Laureate for Australia
Poetry
Monday musings on Australian literature: Blake Poetry Prize
Coincidentally, I reviewed a book of poetry by Paris Rosemont just as the longlist for the current Blake Poetry Prize was announced, and it includes a poem by her. The timing seemed right to give this prize some air. I have mentioned it before - but only in passing in my 2024 Poetry Month post … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Blake Poetry Prize
World Poetry Day 2026: More poetry on my TBR pile
As I have written before, World Poetry Day was declared by UNESCO in 1999, with the goal of honouring "poets, revive oral traditions of poetry recitals, promote the reading, writing and teaching of poetry, foster the convergence between poetry and other arts such as theatre, dance, music and painting, and raise the visibility of poetry in … Continue reading World Poetry Day 2026: More poetry on my TBR pile
Canberra Writers Festival 2025: 6, Poems of love and rage
Evelyn Araluen, Maxine Beneba Clarke and Omar Musa with Jacqui Malins The program described the session as follows: An electrifying highlight of this year’s program, our poetry panel features some of Australia’s most acclaimed and innovative poets putting love and rage on the page. Overland Poetry Prize winner Evelyn Araluen (The Rot) joins Maxine Beneba … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2025: 6, Poems of love and rage
Monday musings on Australian literature: National Poetry Month 2025
National Poetry Month - in Australia - is now five years old, and once again it is spearheaded by Red Room Poetry, which should not need any introduction by now to regular readers here. This year it runs a bit over a month, from 30 July to 3 September. As before, they have appointed Poetry … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: National Poetry Month 2025
Monday musings on Australian literature: Les Murray Award for Refugee Recognition
Now THIS is something different for Monday Musings. Yes, it is Australian, but it's not a literary award. Its full title is The Australia for UNHCR – SBS Les Murray Award for Refugee Recognition and, according to Australia's UNHCR website, it "recognises and celebrates the contribution of refugees who are shining a light on the … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Les Murray Award for Refugee Recognition
World Poetry Day 2025 – a day late
World Poetry Day was declared by UNESCO in 1999. It is a day, says UNESCO "to honour poets, revive oral traditions of poetry recitals, promote the reading, writing and teaching of poetry, foster the convergence between poetry and other arts such as theatre, dance, music and painting, and raise the visibility of poetry in the media". In … Continue reading World Poetry Day 2025 – a day late
Monday musings on Australian literature: Poetry Month 2024
National Poetry Month - in Australia - is now four years old, and once again it is spearheaded by Red Room Poetry, which is described by ArtsHub as "Australia’s leading organisation that commissions poets and produces live poetry events nationally". ArtsHub adds that this Month is "a festival that celebrates emerging and established writers, as … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Poetry Month 2024
Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian literary biographies (2, poets)
Eight years ago, I wrote a Monday Musings on Australian literary biographies, but the main focus there was on novelists. With this month being National Poetry Month and with, coincidentally, this year's National Biography Award going to a biography of a poet, it seemed a match made in heaven. In other words, it seemed appropriate … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian literary biographies (2, poets)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Poetry Month 2023
This year Red Room Poetry is running their third annual National Poetry Month. How excellent is that? I don't know how successful it is at reaching its goal of increasing "access, awareness and visibility of poetry in all its forms and for all audiences" but sometimes you just have to hang in there and build … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Poetry Month 2023
Whispering Gums 