Another look...

 Max Ryan

 Andy White

 Michelle Dicinoski

 Matt Hetherington

Julie Beveridge


What a great weekend of poetry. Such a great venue and so well organised. Congratulations to all involved!


I saw a long list of performers on the first day including: Jacob Polley, the 2011 Arts Queensland Poet-in-Residence, Ashley Capes reading with Sheish Money on guitar and Graham Nunn on drums, the changing his life poet John Koenig, the stunning Carmen Keates who read from her verse novella Secondhand Attack Dog (unpublished) as well as new poems. Ron Pretty, who was awarded Member for the Order of Australia (AM) in 2002, and who has apparently written more poetry in the last three years since he retired from teaching and publishing, than he did during the last twenty years. Jaya Savige, current poetry editor for The Australian, was back in Australia from Cambridge and about to launch a new book, Surface to Air, through UQP. Sandra Thibodeaux, Australian Poetry's Poet-in-Residence for 2011, read poems about sex and death and was followed by Pascalle Burton, Nathan Shepherdson and David Stavanger performing The Outlandish Watch. An extended work featuring audios and visuals based on time.


Sunday I caught the wrong bus to the Valley, but still managed to see the lovely Max Ryan (I love his poems "Keef" and "Reading Leonard Cohen in the Austral Cafe, Murwillumbah"). Andy White sang and read (I liked his Beckett song), and Michelle Dicinoski was wonderful with her beautifully polished poems and clear reading style. Matt Hetherington engaged with the audience, including a baby, who punctuated his lines of poetry with squeals and chortles of  delight (while Matt entertained us with his marriage break down). Julie Beveridge read some fantastic new travel/ pregnancy poems and some haibun from Home is Where the Heartache is. Betsy Turcot and Eleanor Jackson did not disappoint, with their incredible poetic narrative about desire, love and relationships; taking us on a journey from first glance to last promise. They were followed by Ghostboy, who misbehaved delightfully with the audience. Part Tom Waits, part Leonard Cohen and part Tim Burton, Ghostboy blends poetry, theatrics and music for a thoroughly provocative performance.


There was so much on offer (two venues running simultaneously), that I didn't get to see everyone read/ perform that I wanted to, but it was great seeing the sessions and catching up with friends. There was also a great little poetry bookstore going throughout the festival. I got one of Pascalle's badges and a copy of Max Ryan's Before the Sky. 

If you want to hear more about the festival, check out the QPF facebook page, or Graham Nunn's Anotherlostshark blog. Hope you had a great weekend!   

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