wa poetry festival |
Featured Poets at the WA Poetry FestivalINVITED POETS TO THE STATE LIBRARY OPENING13TH October midday Patron: 2007 WA Spring Poetry Festival - Fay Zwicky Dorothy Porter Glen Phillips
Maureen Sexton
Alvin Pang (Singapore)
Andrew Burke POETS AT THE GLASSHOUSESamuel Wagan Watson Ashley J. Higgs Lily Chan Sue Clennell Zan Ross GUEST POETS AT THE GLASSHOUSEAfeif Ismail Abdelrazig
Barbara Temperton Sarah French
Shane McCauleyShane holds a Master of Arts from the University of Sydney. His poetry books include The Chinese Feat FACP, Deep-Sea Diver, FACP, The Butterfly Man, FACP, Shadow Behind the Heart Platypus Press, and Glassmaker, Sunline Press, 2005. Shane is a reviewer for the West Australian Newspaper, teaches poetry at the Fremantle Arts Centre and is a full-time and Fractional-time lecturer in General Studies at Midland College of TAFE. Deanne Leber
Allan Boyd (The Antipoet) REGULAR FESTIVAL EVENT AT THE ART GALLERY - ARTEQUATEJenny de Garis
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began publishing poems and short stories in the 1950's. From 1972 to 1987, she took up a position as Senior Lecturer at the University of Western Australia in the English department. Zwicky was a member of the Literature Board. In 1982, she was writer-in-residence at Macquarie University (Sydney), and in 1984, was writer-in-residence at Rollins College in Florida (USA). Later, in 1985, she moved to LaTrobe University (Melbourne). Zwicky has worked overseas in such places as Indonesia, Europe and America. She received the New South Wales Premier's Award in 1982, and the Western Australian Premier's Award in 1991 for poetry. She has published reviews, criticisms, poetry, and short stories. In 2005, she won the Patrick White Award given to an Australian writer who has not received adequate recognition. Her poetry collections include:- Isaac Bable's Fiddle (1975), Kaddish and Other Poems (1982), Ask Me (1991), Fay Zwicky: Poems 1970-1992 (1993),The Gatekeeper’s Wife (1998) and Picnic (2006) 
grew up in Sydney and the Blue Mountains but is now living in Melbourne. She is the author of many collections of poetry including Driving Too Fast, Crete and Other Worlds; two novels for young adults; and four verse novels, Akhenaten, The Monkey’s Mask, What a Piece of Work and Wild Surmise. The Monkey’s Mask won the Age Book of the Year for Poetry, the National Book Council Award for Poetry and the Braille Book of the Year. It has been adapted for stage and radio, and the film, The Monkey’s Mask, was released internationally in 2001. The book has been widely translated and published overseas. What a Piece of Work was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award. Wild Surmise was also shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award in 2003. Porter has just released her latest verse murder-mystery novel El Dorado (2007) published by Picador. Currently, she is teaching at the University of Melbourne.
has poems published in many anthologies nationally and internationally and his work has been translated into several languages. Numerous poems have also appeared in journals and newspapers in Australia, America, Italy and China. He has been invited to perform at poetry readings in the above-mentioned countries and in Thailand, England, India and Switzerland. Currently he is working on several new collections of poetry, a collection of short stories, three novels, some books for children as well as numerous other projects. His most recent books include "Fairly Obssessive" (FACP, 2000) with Rod Menghem (eds) and "Spring Burning" (Salt, 1999). 
Maureen was the Director of the inaugural WA Spring Poetry Festival in 2005 and 2006, WA State Coordinator National Poetry Week 2006, Editor ‘The Word is out’ magazine 2005, Administrator and Poetry Liaison Officer for the Fellowship of Australian Writers of WA in 2005; Board member of emPOWa (Emerging Poets WA Inc.), 2001 to 2002; Co-organiser and founding member of Walking On Water, prose, poetry, plays, performance WA, 2000 to 2001; Co-organiser of creative writing group at Rocky Bay Village, 2002; Committee member and/or organiser of various other writing groups/events in WA and SA. She is a widely-published poet nationally, with some international publication success, has had success in national competitions, and is currently a freelance editor and has a BA Degree in Writing.
Alvin Pang was named 2005 Young Artist of the Year (Literature) by the National Arts Council, Singapore. He holds First Class Honours in Literature from the University of York in England and an Honorary Fellowship in Writing from the University of Iowa's International Writing Program (2002). His first volume Testing The Silence (Ethos Books, 1997) was listed as one of the Top Ten Books of 1997 by The Straits Times and was short-listed for the National Book Development Council of Singapore (NBDCS) Book Award in 1998/9. City Of Rain (Ethos Books, 2003), his second volume of poetry, was the only Singaporean book to be named in the Straits Times Top Ten List for 2003. A former teacher, civil servant, journalist, columnist and online producer, Pang is also the founder and editor of online poetry anthology, The Poetry Billboard and the Literary Singapore news website.
is an Australian poet who has lived most of his life on the west coast in Perth. In his teens, Burke read Kerouac and Ginsberg and other 'Beat' writers, and they gained his interest more than the Hardy and company he was studying at school. He started to ape their style in all he wrote, and published his first short story at 18. He has written on a daily basis ever since - stories, plays, poems, and in 2006 completed a PhD at ECU, writing a novel and an exegesis on post-modern styles in prose writing. Andrew has published six books of poetry; Let's Face the Music and Dance (Peter Jeffery, 1975), On the Tip of my Tongue (FACP, 1983), Mother Waits for Father Late (FACP, 1992), Pushing at Silence (SALT, 1996), Whispering Gallery (Sunline Press, 2001), and Knock on Wood (Picaro Press, 2003). Recently, Andrew taught in 'the world's filthiest city', Linfen, China, and currently he is teaching at Wanalirri Catholic School at Gibb River Station in The Kimberley, where at last, he says, he is someone who will remain nameless.
Born in Brisbane in 1972, Samuel is of Munanjali, Birri Gubba, German and Irish descent. He spent much of his childhood on the Sunshine Coast before returning to Brisbane to start a career. He was the winner of the 1999 David Unaipon award for emerging Indigenous writers for his first collection of poetry, Of Muse, Meandering and Midnight. Since then he has written three more collections; Itinerant Blues (2001, University of Queensland Press), Hotel Bone (2001, Vagabond Press) and Smoke Encrypted Whispers (2004, University of Queensland Press). Content from Itinerant Blues is currently on the New South Wales High School Curriculum whilst Smoke Encrypted Whispers won the 2005 New South Wales Premier’s Book of the Year and the Kenneth Slessor Poetry Prize.
Ashley J. Higgs is a writer, hyper-impro-singer-poet(HISP), video artist, mystic technocrat. His poems are sung, spoken, whispered, screamed; verses are twisted, changed, forgotten and transmogrified into sonic incantations. Most recently, his mobile phone film ‘Lornie’s Leaving’, was shown in an Art Koven group video event at Loop Bar, Melbourne, as part of MudFest 2007. He has transformed around Australian festivals: Artrage, and Perth Fringe Festival, Outrage Festival Melbourne, This Is Not Art Festival, Newcastle, St. Kilda Poets Festival, Melbourne Writers Festival, Overload Poetry Festival, and the Totally Huge New Music Festival and National Poets Festival, Perth. Poems and music have been aired on Melbourne 3RRR, 3PBS and 3CR, and Perth’s RTR FM. His work has appeared in The Western Review, Verandah, Vehicle, Openmouth, Navigations, rHino, Southern Review(Vol. 34, No. 2), Nova, Five Bells Poets Union newsletter, Unusual Work, Boxkite, the essential Chris Mann, Ars Poetica and Scarp. Ashley holds Diploma’s of Visual Arts’ and Professional Writing and Editing’, from the Centre for Adult Education, Melbourne, and completed three years reading Literature at Victoria College(now Deakin University). He is in his final year of a Bachleor of Fine Arts in sculpture and spatial practice, at VictorianCollege of the Arts.
is a law student who hopes to become the first lawyer-poet in the universe. She likes to read lots ‘n lots, loves J D Salinger, The Life of Pi, Siddartha by Hermanne Hesse and anything by Eckhart Tolle (oh, the saviour). Her life ambition: be joyous, make others joyous, believe in fairies. Lily has had several poems published here and there, won prizes in short story competitions and MC's Poet's Corner at the State Library (every 3rd Saturday of the month starting 2pm). In 2006, she was the Young Poet in Residence at the FAWWA’s Tom Collins House. Later, she hopes to become an Old Poet in Residence in India/ Hawaii/ somewhere exotic. The travelling bug is itching at her heels. Beware her sketchbook. She likes to sketch anyone who gets up to the microphone. On the other hand, you will get a freeeee sketch, and we all like free things don't we? Besides, where else is she going to get models?
has a Bachelor of Arts (Monash) and Bachelor of Letters (Deakin), majoring in Journalism. She also has a Diploma of Education. Sue has been an Emerging Writer in Residence at Katharine Susannah Prichard Writer’s Centre, and is the Creative Writing tutor for the Society of Women Writers of WA. She is co-author of “The Ink Drinkers”, a collection of poems and short stories, and film/book reviewer for the journal, “Antipodean SF.” Sue’s poems have been published in “The Australian”, “The West Australian”, “Quadrant” and numerous anthologies. Highly Commended in the Josephine Ulrick Poetry Prize, 2006.
has spent nearly thirty years teaching, mostly writing among other things, at all age levels and in many types of institutions. She was also among the founders of Nur primary school in NSW and another in Norwich, UK, both of which are still in operation. In WA she has been part of the steering committee (as well as MC at individual events, treasurer, reviewer for the web site, and largely responsible for securing funding for same) for WOW (currently and well as having been involved 2 and 3 years ago), the Artemis Readings (Artemis Cafe in Fremantle) and DISK. While at Curtin University (returned to university to do a Graduate diploma, Honours and move on to a PhD) was involved in organising launches/readings for literary journals, as well as gathering together groups of emerging writers outside tutorial time to workshop both among themselves as well as with local writers hired privately. Currently, Zan is engaged in editing private collections for poets in NSW and WA. Zan has been widely published across Australia with 2 full collections of poetry (B-Grade and en passant) and one chapbook ("Je ne said quoi) to her credit. 
was born in Elhasshisa, Sudan in 1962. A published poet, writer, playwright, artist and activist for the cause of freedom in all the world. Works include "Traps & some Tracks" 2001, and "Bet of the Argil" 2003, into English 2005, from Samantha International & Multicultural Publishing. Founding member of Literary and Cultural Clubs in Sudan and Egypt. Member of many Human Rights organisations. Has resided in Australia since December 2003, where he founded "Wings Organisation for Cross-Cultural Development Inc"; and is currently Chairperson of "Wings". Is a member of OOTA and Community T.V. Perth. An editor in Arabic publications, currently editorial member of "Almuhsjir Sudanese News Paper in VIC". Has many works of poetry, children's poems included, waiting in the wings for translation and publishing - whilst still composing more poems.
(aka Barbara Brandt) is a Western Australian writer. Born: 23/7/1955 Subiaco WA. Barbara’s Temperton’s poems, short stories, reviews and articles have appeared in journals, newspapers, and anthologies, and have been broadcast on radio. She is a two-time winner of the Tom Collins Poetry Prize. Her collection Going Feral (FACP) won the 2002 Western Australian Premier’s Book Award for Poetry. Barbara’s first collection of poems “The Snow Queen Takes Lunch in the Station Café” appeared in Shorelines (FACP, 1995). More recent projects include song lyrics, narrative poems, and a MA from the University of Western Australia. 
was born in Western Australia in 1971. She has work published in various journals, magazines and newspapers, including Famous Reporter and in 2006 her work was exhibited at the “Reading the Collection” at the Fremantle Arts Centre. Deanne’s first collection of poems, “Book of Days”, an autobiographical journey into the ways we remember, is shortlisted for 2006 WA Premier’s Poetry Award. She is the Coordinator of the monthly ‘Poets’ Corner’ readings in the Pages Café of the Alexander Library, Perth, and is currently completing her PhD in Creative Writing at Edith Cowan University.
Allan Boyd has been performing at and organising dynamic poetry arts and music events since 1995. He has performed his "difficult and acerbic words" as featured guest of the Queensland Poetry Festival; Melbourne Overload Poetry Festival; Newcastle This Is Not Art and National Young Writers Festivals; the WA Poetry Festival; Artrage; PIAF; WA Fringe and others. He is also frontman for original bands, MiteyKo and Blac Blocs. He founded the popular Openmouth Poetry sessions at PICA Bar from 1996-2001. His Antipoet Manifesto, written as Emerging Writer in Residence at the Fellowship of Australian Writers WA in 2004, has been distributed in zines and websites across the planet. Allan is a presenter/producer of the weekly Indymedia Radical Radio show on RTRFM. He is also a website administrator, editor and journalistic hack. Allan was a featured guest at the 2007 Melbourne Overload Poetry this August. 
has Masters degrees in literature and in creative writing, but believes that her game-keeper grandfather, who taught her as a toddler the language of the Surrey chalk hills, has been equally important in her winning poetry prizes. She has been running workshops for 16 years in art galleries, national parks and reserves, as well as by contract with bodies such as UWA Extension, Albany Summer School, and the UK National Arboretum at Westonbirt. If you would like her to lead a workshop for your group in the city or the bush she is happy to be contacted. Jenny has successfully run workshops during the WA Spring Poetry Festivals in 2005 and 2006. Her workshops explore the creative interactions between paintings and poetry and are inspirational events at the festival called ‘ArtEquate’.