Sydney Poetry

A social site for poets in Sydney.

The Secret Life of Poetry

On the 19^thof May I sprang out of bed, printed out a selection of my poems and headed to the State Library of NSW. With my precious poems clung to my chest I found my way to the Mitchell Meeting Room and made myself a cup of tea in anticipation of a day workshopping with David Brooks. Fifteen eager poets sat down to learn ‘the secrets of poetry’.

Brooks gave us some excellent advice such as, if you are interested in writing poetry you should be reading it. This is something that my dad has long been telling me and that I indeed do practise. I have been reading Mark O’Flynn and John Watson’s new books which I also discovered at the Sydney Writers’ Festival and am thoroughly enjoying. Watson’s poetry, in Occam’s Aftershave, is witty and fun as he explores the process of writing and the purpose of poetry. Flynn’s Untested Cures… is a beautiful exploration of nature, with imagery such as “…Leeches, loving the rain, turn acrobatic somersaults towards us. / They drop from trees…” (2011, p55). see more...

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Comment by william james falls on July 4, 2012 at 20:39: Rhiannon, Good luck to you in your efforts to get out there.

Fill the pages as the words flow, then go back and reap the harvest.

Write as the thoughts emerge, and you'll come to find the rhyme,

rhythm, and reasons, as you grow in this most amazing of occupations. William.

Comment by Rhiannon Hall on July 5, 2012 at 21:50: Thanks for the kind words William. I like 'fingers-a-twitter' in your poem 'Saturday Morning Slipstream'. Such a clever little image.