Dear Andrew
'at the drop of a hat' sounds like an excellent title for a book of poetry or
a poetry reading series. Pity you can't copyright a title. Or is that another
furphy? Then there's 'at the drop of a coin' or 'at the drop of a pin' or 'at
the drop of an aitch' or 'at the drop of a boxer' (including shorts) or 'at
the drop of a curtain' or 'at the drop of the good stuff' etc. And thanks for
the marking. Didn't see you at the FAW's "in Fellowship Readings" yesterday
which I think is where I first met you about 1969!
Cheers
Glen
Andrew Burke wrote:
> I try to avoid 'the
> >scene' as much as possible these days. It only does your head in, as they
> >say in the classics. I'd rather write.
> >
>
> >Cheers,
> >Jill
>
> The Perth scene is small but tight. There are a band of happy minstrels
> that read at the drop of a hat (and other venues :->), and there are the
> writing students of various unis, but unfortunately the unis and writing
> centres and such tend to breed li'l ghettoes of their own. I don't know
> whether there is too much activity between individual poets any more, or
> whether we just grow out of it as we grow into relationships and work and
> other time-consuming passions. Much in all as poetry is an oral art,
> basically, I tend to avoid clusters of poets, and particularly
> poets-with-a-message, those who will carry their obssession through what is
> no more than verse and inflict it on the public.
>
> Once upon a time ... but then my band of poetry-mates were as young and
> carefree as I was. Today I am always behind in what I want to read, behind
> in my studies, often behind in my marking (up to date now, thank Someone),
> the result of which is that I don't frequent obscure venues to bitch about
> other people's poetry, or even praise it. I run workshops and love 'em
> becoz we are writing together - getting on with the job. To do the scene
> only 'does your head in' as Jill quoted. A certain public face is sometimes
> seen to be necessary to get published - but there are many exceptions to
> this rule, and you'll find they are writers of quality (in the main).
>
> 'Don't get around much anymore ...' But I claim your indulgence for a li'l
> anecdote. Outside of Perth, in the hills, there is a small writing group
> loosely aligned with the Fellowship of Australian Writers. I visited them
> at their request about a year ago, and judged their poetry competition. One
> of their members spoke quietly about their place in the 'scheme of things'.
> He said, "We are not champions - We are like Sunday players at your local
> tennis club." What charming humility lies in that assessment.
>
> I'll stop rambling now and go to bed to wake up early for the next day of
> the First Test between Australian and the West Indies ... my obsession.
>
> Andrew
>
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