Gone Editing – Back Soon

Yes, I’ve gone editing! Wish it was fishing, but there is fishing waiting at the end of editing. I’ve been amused reading about fish whisperers- and came across poetry whisperers too! Hmm an editing whisperer!

(C) June Perkins

More News
Oh my the book is closer to completion! It is becoming exciting as soon it will be off to the designer! I’ve been doing a lot of collaging in picasa, and well as making wordles- here is one!

This week I am looking forward to seeing the other Licuala Writers! We have started to set a few goals as a group and as individuals.

EXTRACT FROM BOOK

Introduction

I hunt for poems everywhere – in the rainforests, oceans, memory, and holidays of my experiences and imagination. It’s inspiring and magical to walk with my camera and click away at what captivates me. At first my family would say, ‘Come on Mum, hurry up?’ Now they scout out photos for me. ‘Here’s a good one, Mum. Hey, can I have the camera?’

Two of the main influences on my writing are the Romantic poets and music. I love the Romantic poets, like John Clare, who observed nature so carefully and wrote on anything available including old newspaper. It’s amusing to imagine William and Dorothy Wordsworth having some of my experiences. I’ve been chased by a cassowary, seen snake skins in the yards, and spent time listening to kids talk about their monster trucks and mermaid friends. There are no cheetahs living here, yet they are always running around in the rainforest because kids say they are. My mum used to tell me fairies could be anywhere. I didn’t think about mermaids when I was little but maybe it’s the proximity to a warmer ocean that brings these creatures into kids’ imaginations in North Queensland. Some of these poems are nonsense poems and inspired by the works of Edward Lear, Pam Ayres and Spike Milligan.

‘Rain’ has many musical terms in it because rain reminds me so much of music. A poem called Reading becomes a poem about reading the soul. Some of my poems like ‘Monster Truck Boys and Mermaid Girls’ and ‘Unity’s Beat’ are songs!

I think children need to be encouraged to be the best they can without being preached to and there should be ‘lovefulness’ trees everywhere! ‘Kids will be Kid’s is about the need for adults to set the example they want rather than just criticize. ‘Love Gumboots’ is about peace and if you look carefully you’ll notice something special about its structure. My Sorry Day poem is dedicated to all Australians and anyone who needs to go through a process of reconciliation with their country’s Indigenous peoples.