I’m pleased to announce that Concise Delight have selected three of my poems for publication in their inaugural issue!

Specifically two haiku and a recent rework of one of the first poems I wrote.

Check out the Concise Delight website. Looking forward to ordering a copy or three!

I’m in the same journal as Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz. Happy? Pleased? Thrilled? Am I what?

The bad news is that my rejection notices increased by one.

The good news is that while I was trawling my poetry collection, I found two issues of mod_piece that I had work printed in!

The extra good news is that I seem to have come close to finishing three pieces in a week! I’m not sure that that has happened before, I’m rather thrilled. I dread the idea of not having something new to read, let alone something new to read at a feature. So three poems at once is excellent. I think one may not be a performance piece, but that’s fine.

I hope you are having a decent Australia Day (in whatever way you celebrate it, if applicable). I was traditional, I drank beer and got sunburned at a BBQ. The oldies, it would seem, are the goodies. Meanwhile it’s late here, and I’m close enough to the Showgrounds to hear the Prodigy closing the Big Day Out. It’s also hot enough that sleep isn’t going to happen for a while to come, so it’s not like the noise levels are going to be a problem.

The theme of “Secrets” sees my poem “Mokita” somewhere in the middle, go to EclecticZine now and download the PDF file of Issue #2! Following the link will open it in a new window.

Reading: T.S. Eliot – Preludes
Listening: The Doves – Black And White Town

On Tuesday I skived off work to make my merry way down to Flinders St. for the Moving Galleries launch. I bumped into a bunch of fellow poets, some who I’d not seen in a long time, some I only knew by name and reputation.

The project organisers and Lynn Kosky (State Minister for Transport and the Arts, a fortuitous combo of portfolios, no?) made with the speeches. I was pleased to hear this project will have funding to run bi-annually for the next three years.

Speeches over, we were shepherded down to Platform 14 to wander along the length of one of forty trains that will be bedecked in artwork and poetry. Naturally, every one went hunting for their part of the whole. Cameras were brandished as people posed beside their work (see right).

You Melbournians who catch the train on a regular basis, keep an eye out for the Moving Galleries project. Lots of lovely stuff to read and look at. If you happen to see my work on your train, please comment here, I’d love to know who sees it and when! Everyone received a copy of their artwork (text or visual), mine is sitting coiled in its cardboard tube, waiting for a trip to the framers.

Reading: Ian McBryde – The Shade of Angels
Listening: Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart

Looking forward to the launch of the Moving Galleries project for 2007/8. Appropriately enough, it will be taking place at Flinders St. Station.

Very tickled by the idea that I might see my work in a train while on my way to work. Hopefully I shall have photos to share as well!

Reading: Roger McGough – Collected Poems
Listening: Something For Kate – Pinstripe

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

So, the fine folk at Eclecticism will be releasing issue 2 of their online ‘zine in October. Working with the theme of “Secrets”, yours truly has a poem in there entitled “Mokita”. Issue one is currently available for download from the front page of their site.

Listening to: “Cloud On My Tongue” – Tori Amos

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”