An international poem

This very moving poem came through on my email this morning and I wanted to post it up. I think the poet is from Belgium, but his thoughts are universal and cross all geographical boundaries. Here it is courtesy of poetryinternational.org

Pushed out with worn-out furniture
her sprung insides show
the joys and woes of an old mattress.
The kapok suddenly releases secrets
and in its lumpy burls
refrains and duets stick:

Come my love, don’t withdraw
yet. Feel me over to see
if I’m a stranger once again
asking you the way to today –
I want to disappear inside
a raw body flap
as in a cave beneath the sea.

So bird-swift, with quick jerks,
this duet sounded like a duel
when in the middle of a kissed-away silence
a voice, almost choked, sprang up:
“If you die first, then I will surely follow . . .”

Come my love, pull me in
like a snail does its feelers:
I do not want to see the light
that whistles in my ribs –
Quickly set my coil-locked
body on fire: just one more sigh
and the bloom is gone.




© 2001, Lucienne Stassaert
© Translation: 2008, John Irons

Eureka Street poems

Hi folks. I am pleased to say there are poems of mine now on Eureka Street. The first one has lost its breaks between verses, but the others seem to be in place and format. Please take a look at http://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=9920

I am presently in Broome as Writer in Residence at the Broome Library and Notre Dame University, organised by writingWA, our State lit office. Expect hot and humid Broome poems any day now!

Anyone reading this in The Kimberley can hear me on ABC radio tomorrow morning with Miranda Tetlow around 11.45am.

~sharing(secret)water~ ev13 has emerged

Raising our glasses in celebration!

Opening fluid connections, ~sharing(secret)water~

Emerging Visions visionary art ezine issue #13 has emerged.

http://emergingvisions.blogspot.com

Drink deeply.

share and enjoy!

Emerging Visions #13 "Sharing(secret)Water" calls

Spirits of deep water are stirring. Emerging Visions visionary art ezine #13 ~ "Sharing (secret) Water"* ~ intends to emerge in early November. Look deep into your hidden treasuretrove to send your sharing by October 23.

Enjoying memories of being "Jung @ Heart" along the way, find the Submission Guidelines hidden below

http://emergingvisions.blogspot.com


make it happen

My Poetry & Poetics Blog

Blogs appear to be essential these days. I do have a website @ www.geocities.com/helen_hagemann, however, my blog Evangelyne will host my poetry, my poetics, Australian & US poets' blogs, etc. Two poets that I met in Katoomba/Sydney are Deb Westbury & David Musgrave. Three fellow poets that I met through the 2008 Longlines Poetry Workshop are Ali Cobby Eckermann, Kimberly Mann & Andrew Slattery. From time to time I will post updates of our forthcoming collections to be published by the Australian Poetry Centre & our 2009 Australia-wide tour.


My Blogs

Evangelyne
anovelist


Heather, you must have re-set my email log-in, so thanks very much!
Cheers, Helen

A bit quiet around here, so I thought I'd but(t) in and tell you I am hosting a few local poems at my blog, http://hispirits.blogspot.com this week. Please take a gander one day soon ... Andrew

This Is Not Art: 2-6 October 08

It's the five days of the year where you get to share your ideas, passions and saliva with like-minded crew from all over Australia. This year This Is Not Art is composed of four very special festivals, and a series of events combining talents from the across the board.

From its first moments as an Electrofringe and National Young Writers' Festival, the convergence has grown to provide an annual extravaganza with a variety of workshops, panels, performances, speakers and exhibitions challenging ideas about making art, making culture and making noise. We’ve have remained true to our core aims - innovating, developing and showcase emerging art and media forms.

And this year is no exception. Throw in some experimental indy theatre performances, artist networking and industry exposés, and some ripe social & political cheekiness, and you have a rough idea of what This Is Not Art Festival has become - the largest and most diverse annual media and arts festival in Australia.