sallymurphy.com.au

Sally Murphy, Australian author

Poetry Friday: Perth Writers Festival and Some Observations About Poetry

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poetry-friday-logoIt’s Poetry Friday. I love Poetry and I love Fridays, so Poetry Friday is my favourite day of the week. BUT last week, I missed posting on Poetry Friday. Awwww.

The good news is, the reason I missed Poetry Friday is because I was at the Perth Writers Festival – talking about poetry (and other bookish things).

The Festival is an annual event, and always has a wonderful programme, but the thing that made my heart sing this year was the way poetry featured so prominently across the programme – on Schools Day, on Family Day and in the general (adult) programming too. I was fortunate enough to introduce UK verse novelist Sarah Crossan to an enthusiastic audience on Schools Day, and then do an ‘in conversation’ session with her on Family Day. I also read some of my poetry in the Arts Courtyard at a lunchtime event with other poets. On the Friday, where I was a spectator for the day, I went to a well-attended session titled Poetic Sensibilities where Sarah was on a panel with Caitlin Maling, Samuel Wagan Watson and Tineke Van der Eecken.

What delighted me was the way poetry was being spoken about not just during these sessions, but also around the festival – in the green room, at social events, even in lines for the bathrooms.

So, some observations from these conversations and from listening to these awesome poets:

  1. Poetry is important. It’s important for lots of reasons, not the least because it makes us feel.
  2. Poetry should not make you feel dumb. If it does, that’s not your fault. It isn’t a test.
  3. If you don’t believe me about numbers 1 and 2, think back to your childhood and how you loved to listen to Dr Seuss, or AA Milne, or nursery rhymes. They made you feel good – laughing, or joining in. They may have even made you feel like you could read before you learnt to do so, because you could both predict text and also memorise it. Then think about a time when you were asked to answer comprehension questions or write an essay about a poem you didn’t ‘get’. Not necessarily the poet’s fault, but as soon as poetry becomes a test, we lose some (most/all) of the magic.
  4. If you find poem or a poet too obscure, don’t give up on poetry altogether. Just try a different poet. Not every poem will suit every readers, just as not every novel does.
  5. Poetry is not something you have to write/read/discuss in a darkened room or dusty attic. There are other poetry lovers out there – and, if you love poetry, talk about and share it. Spread the love!

I’m off to celebrate Poetry Friday by writing poetry. How about you?

(Poetry Friday is a weekly round up of poetry related  blogposts by those who love children’s poetry. This week it is hosted at My Juicy Universe. )

Privilege

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All of August and much of September have been gobbled up, with no time for blogging as I drove up and down the Forrest Highway to Perth, and around the Southwest and even flew up to Geraldton, all for the most privileged of reasons: to talk about books, and reading and writing.

The word ‘privilege’ is one I used many many times over this most busy of periods, but it was used with heartfelt sincerity . It is a privilege:

  • Bookweek 2014

    Doing the Bookweek Dance 🙂

    To speak to hundreds of young readers from schools large and small, in their schools and in public libraries to celebrate Children’s Bookweek.

  • To have the opportunity to inspire those children to read more and to write more.
  • To share my book-babies, including of course Roses are Blue, my latest, but also to have requests for old favourites. This year those requests included Floatingest Frog and Head Hog, which are such a joy to read to younger audiences.
  • To visit one of my old schools, Iona, and catch up with many of my past teachers, as well as to talk to year seven and eight girls about my writing, as well as why I chose to write about Mary MacKillop and what an amazing woman she was.
  • To be invited to a festival as amazing as the Big Sky Festival, in Geraldton, where a relatively small city manages to turn out good sized, enthusiastic audiences to talk about all things literary and where the amazing Geraldton Library and University Centre staff treat their visiting authors like stars.
  • To spend a weekend at said festival in the amazing company of fellow writers who started the weekend as relative strangers and ended as lifelong friends.

    Big Sky Festival With Kaleidoscope 3

    At the Big Sky Festival after a session with Kaleidoscope Ensemble.

  • To return home to emails and messages from children and adults who saw me at different times over those two months and wanted to thank me for inspiring them – when it should be me thanking them.
  • And last, but not in any way least, after a busy couple of months, to have a beautiful family to be at home with and cherish.

Now it’s back to normality – writing a bit, reading a bit and even, occasionally, doing boring stuff like housework. What a privilege to live the life I do!