Dan O’Connell review

Had a fun old time at the Dan as one does. Many thanks to Cam for letting me feature there. I did two sets, opened the first set with Leonard Cohen’s “Democracy“, read some of my older stuff (Hierophant, Basement of Swallows, etc.) finished the first set with W. H. Auden’s “Law Like Love“. The second set opened with Lou Reed’s “Romeo Had Juliette” and then I went through my more recent stuff. Eulogy for the Cassette Tape, The Writer as Goalkeeper, Book Store, Tomorrow’s Ghosts.

Next week at the Dan, I believe we have the very cool Teresa O’Donnell

Fun was had, parents were there to see my gig, Guinness was consumed, all in all, a rather nice Saturday.

Currently Listening : “Days” – Elvis Costello

Good news, third…half.

It would seem my decision to make a whole bunch of submissions at once was a good move, I’ve been accepted by the Moving Galleries project. Any good public transport suffering Melbournian would have had a chance to see the poetry published in trains over the last few years. Well, my work will be part of the next wave of train travelling poetry!

Currently reading: “If I Can Dream” – The Blackeyed Susans

yrteoP esreveR

I attribute the following quote to Christine Hamm, English lecturer at Rutgers University and author of The Transparent Dinner.

“The reverse poem exercise consists of taking a poem, breaking it down line by line and trying to write the opposite of each image and word. After you’re done you can play with it anyway you want.”

Suffice to say I’ve had far too much fun doing this. Beneath the cut is one example I’ve been working on.
Continue reading yrteoP esreveR

Good news

I’m pleased to say I’ve had work accepted for publication! After years of procrastination and then a sudden flurry of “Oh sod it, let’s just fire five or six off hither and yon and see what eventuates”, I scored a hit, a palpable hit!

I have that delightful taste of “Well, there’s one success, where’s the next one then?”

Listening: “Diamond Dogs” – David Bowie
Reading: “Selected Works of Shelley”

Tim Hamilton @ The Dan O’Connell

I can’t believe this is approximately 5 weeks away.

What: The Dan O’Connell Poetry featuring Tim Hamilton
Where: The Dan O’Connell Hotel. Cnr. Canning and Princes St., Carlton.
When: 2pm-5pm Saturday 8th September.
Why: I’ll have new stuff, there’s an open stage with some marvellous readers, they have Guinness, it’s easy to get to, it’s really rather a pleasant way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

It all happens in the front bar, it’s a marvellous atmosphere, oh do say you’ll come dear reader.

Listening: “Fitter Happier” – Radiohead (off the “OK Computer” album)
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Melbourne Poets Union

A pleasant Friday night was spent at the Melbourne Poet’s Union. As well as appearances from Jennifer Compton and Paul Mitchell, the evening saw the launch of Carla de Goede’s “Those Hairy Letters”. This is the ninth chapbook to be released through the MPU’s Chapbook Series.

Kris Hemmensley’s speech about the importance of the chapbook in the world of poetry was stirring enough that I wound up writing another poem, I’ll post that here once it’s been polished a bit.

Technorati tags: events, poetry, melbourne poets union
Reading: “Those Hairy Letters” – Carla de Goede
Listening: “American Without Tears” – Elvis Costello (off the King Of America album)

Overload Festival

This Friday (3rd August) sees the beginning of the 6th Overload Festival, it looks magnificent from here, there will be guests from Belfast (no less than the Belfast Poets) and a slew of local and interstate talent. The Overload Festival website has all the details, dates and destinations available. Go see something while it’s on!

In a rather nice touch, the opening event for the festival is the Overload pub crawl, which I believe will be threading its way around Fitzroy.

Listening: “The Scarlet Tide” – Elvis Costello (off the “The Delivery Man” album)
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