Thank you!
Tag: News
Searching for Experienced Brisbane Poets Writing for Children
Image (c) June Perkins
I am looking for:
1) A well published poet for children who likes to talk about the craft of what they do with adults.
2) Someone who is an experienced panel chair, with some background in either poetry or children’s literature or both.
Please note: If you live close to Brisbane that would probably be an advantage, but contact me anyway as I love hearing from those passionate about poetry for children.
Do email if this describes you!
Queries for these possible opportunities close 25th of February (but the earlier you email me the better)
Always interested in representing cultural diversity of Australia as well.
June Perkins – gumbootspearlz@gmail.com
We made it – Magic Fish Dreaming
Why Kickstarter for Magic Fish Dreaming?
1. When is the kickstarter for Magic Fish Dreaming running? We’ll let you know when this launches and the kickstarter page is live.
If you want to see this book happen please keep inviting people to the facebook page and blog in preparation for the kickstarter.
The video is in production, the rewards for supporters are being sorted and well there’s all that behind the scenes stuff you have to do before LIFT OFF!
The campaign launches in a few months from now.
2. Why are we kickstarting the book? The world, with all its challenges and joys, most definitely needs poetry for children and their families to read together and to each other, to perform and enjoy and which reflects their experiences of environment, family, and adventures but . . .
The situation in publishing is that poetry books are not taken on by most commerical publishers and yet it remains a loved art form supported by independent small presses and literary presses, and taught in school curriculum.
A major tendency in creating poetry books for children is to publish collections of much loved no longer alive poets (who did not necessarily write with children in mind) like Emily Dickinson, and Walt Whitman, centred around themes, and illustrate them. Exceptions to this are well known poets for children and families like Shel Silverstein, and Pam Ayres who have written some fantastic books of poetry that are not really just for children.
Another tendency is to publish poetry for children that is all about rhyming and sing song rythmns or completely tied to school curriculum needs and to stick with spelling list words. There is nothing wrong with poetry like this but poetry is much, much more.
Did you know a poet is considered a best seller in Australia if they can sell 500 books? Most poetry presses have their publishing books full up for up to three years in advance.
It seems poetry is one of those things that is really up against it when it comes to traditional publishing. Yet, it is something so much part of our everyday lives, especially when we consider songwriters at their best are poets at heart and the growing popularity of spoken word poetry events – slam poetry.
3. Why Poetry? Poetry is powerful. Poetry has champions like Maya Angelou, Judith Wright, and Oodgeroo. Poetry can move the heart and change the world.
Poetry can be many things, and appear in all sorts of shapes and forms and appeal to all ages and background- perhaps though it is its capacity to explain things through similie and metaphor, and to take on the point of view of others that gives it, its greatest power to help humanity cross boundaries.
Poetry is something you can take with you beyond what is taught in the classroom and the home, into a way of being and relating to the world.
This poetry book is about breaking down barriers, and sparking a love of poetry and language for children and their families with themes that are relevant to their lives. It is about working together with an illustrator, Helene Magisson, to attract children and families to poems, and bringing the visual and poetic art forms together.
4. Are you with us? My dream is that you will be enchanted by our samples to want to see this book happen, and will help us kickstart this book into the world. I have chosen to have this book illustrated by a wonderful artist who knows how to appeal to children through her art. I am enjoying this collaboration greatly.
We’d love it if you can invite any of your friends who you think would love a project all about the love of poetry, nature, family, adventure and more!
Join us on facebook and the blog, and at Kickstarter soon.
Celebration of 1000 likes
Celebrating 1000 likes on Ripple Poetry.
Thank you everyone supporting the poets and poetry shared on this blog.
May we have many more poetic adventures.
A thousand thankyous.
New Day Dawning
Sleeping beauties
now Tsunamis.
Waves of sleep
waves of ocean
weekend mornings
nightmare’s yawning.
The city’s parades’ loud raucous calls,
the country singers under the stars.
Morning papers
cuppa tea
quakes here and there
warnings come and go
some to higher ground
do flow.
Connecting and disconnecting,
people come and people go
people lonely,
people happy.
Waves of depression
cross the World
People need hope
hope seeks them.
Seek no building or bridge
seek the open arms
and cuppa tea.
Light entertainment
surrounds the news
waves of silliness
waves of laughter.
Ripples come
and ripples go.
Fashions come
fashions go.
Still the open arms
and cuppa tea
beckon across the sea.
New Day dawning?
By June Perkins
Come and see the poetry wall- before the 19th of September
Well there are just a few more days for people to come and see the Poetry wall at the Gallery. It may be finding other homes though and I’ll keep you posted.
We’ve had lots of people through the library exhibition, with many schools visiting the library last week but the gallery has mainly had wall participants visit on our poetry recital day. So show your support visit the wall and write a comment in the visitors book (comments on line appreciated too).
If you can come down before the 19th of September and read the poems on the wall. It’s quite a journey. This is what you see when you go through the entrance at the gallery- want to see more- go to the gallery- I’ll post some more pictures this afternoon and each day in the lead up to the 18th.
Also if you want to add some feet or leaves to our installations send us a poem. It should fit onto a foot or leaf shape. I’ll post some more on that soon.
Thankyou so much to the teachers who came last Friday and had their children bring so many wonderful feet creations- they are- I’m sure you agree- gems of feet.
Ripple Poetry 