Ok, so the elephant in the blog is, yeah I'm back. Just spent the morning re-working 'Currently' from a few days ago.
It was always the plan to go back through my facebook status updates and harvest them for writing material (as I have been doing for years ~ I tend to use facebook as a live scratch-pad, for better or worse). However with so much stuff happening the task grew and grew and got way out of hand ~ which is of course what 'Currently' is all about, for me.
Also, 2012 has been a very rough year so far, in terms of finances and relationships, and while this should have fueled the fires, I found myself too often hiding in a pile of DVDs and very little else outside of work. With my financial situation now stabilised again, and some major stuff out of the way, most notably shooting a tv pilot/short film with Smarty and some filmmaker friends (with a stunt-retirement announcement thrown in for good measure), I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things.
Anyway, I feel we're off to a good start with this new batch since 'Currently', and I hope to continue and push into some new areas. I've been working on a book of poems about my experiences working with Asylum Seekers (oo I know, topical Randall?) that I hope to have finished by the end of August, so stay tuned there.
As always, knowing there's folks out there reading this in 7 or 8 countries helps (thanks analytics), keep emailing and commenting here, please believe me, I read it all, even if I don't reply for lack of time, sorry. Thank you or taking the time to do so.
While it's all personal, I write to be read of course, and the gift of your time taken here in reading, truly humbles me. Thank you. Sincerely,
I can't give you any reason that holds water
for the time it took
getting back to you
didn't want to come back shallow
leaking out lies
to get myself in this any deeper
I diverted the days
flowed them into weeks
they poured out months
now awkward unspoken volumes
sit vast and tepid between us
none of my excuses waterproof
things is I was gonna get back to you
still floating the idea
you'd been the one to go-to
with drowned out hands
reaching for you to flush me out
sunken in self pity
to tell it all-good again
save me from this flood
soggy now wearing out frowns
wet stain they call my face
the arms drip off of me
I'm all puddles by the footprint
cold through to my toes
and right out my eyes
look there
if y'wanna believe
how much tide I swam at
all I waded through
to keep fighting against
current
'cause it might look to everyone
I've been same-spot treading water
but rivers below know
I've been thrashing mad at it
been kicking undertoe
wrestling invisible waves
just to not
get swept away
once
I said in another poem "I can tread water like there is even a grace to it"
I can't
I ate fuck
swallowed salt water by the lung
holding out against a swim upstream
that turned torrent
wanting to take a life
just not drowning
is as close to flying
as I get
right now
I was gonna get back to you
sooner than later
wanted to swim this
stronger than another sad story
before that fucking flood
washed me away, excuses and all
_____________________________
(ed: 28th July 2012) So this is me, crawling back to the blog I've so long neglected, trying to get my groove back. This piece came out of nowhere, I just opened up the browser and started typing. I was very much influenced by the closing line of Buddy Wakefield's Horsehead poem (about a flood) and I just ran with that for a while.
I don't think it's quite there yet, will keep hacking away at this til I'm happy. Thanks for reading.
from cardboard boxes bruised soggy out of bloated dumpsters leering over the puddles of run off they cannot completely swallow in their shadow pools amber-reflecting his dead of night
came to make sure it's still here take it all personally and he feels welcomed by stacks of milk crates that tumbled into silence
Written by poetry stalwart Timothy Train a strange man, doing his best in strange times. Actually he's more than a stalwart of poetry: the man's made out of poetry, quite literally.
Our researchers at Tales Told by an Idiot have recently done a little checking into Timothy's background, uncovering several secret documents (previously thought destroyed) bringing new validity to accusation that Timothy Train is no longer a flesh and blood human, but a ghastly creature composed only of poetics and facial hair.
New evidence handed in at our offices indicate Timothy Train once went by the name Timothy Train, and back in 2006 traveled to Uruguay to have performed a highly illegal, extremely dangerous and unnecessarily complicated series of operations, where most of his original body was replaced by cloned poetry tissue.
The documentation indicates that Senor Train had most of his endocrine and lymphatic systems replaced with stanzas, rhymes and alliterations. Even the vast mass of what appears to be facial hair is now believed to be in fact a series of assonant couplet semaphores. Shocking.
So far Timothy Train (or should we call him Timothy Train) has denied all allegations, replying only that we should by his quirky and hilarious zine Badgers Dozen, and continue reading his Will type For Foodblog.
More on this story as it deteriorates...right now I'm off to drink a glass of testosterone and eat a Care Bear.
Tomorrow’s Sweetalkers will be a unique experience for us all, never before has there been such a large roster of featured performers in one gig, each and all New Zealand-bred visitors to the Melbourne poetry scene.
Now even though they come as a group, I promise you the combination of these eight individuals will remain every bit as diverse and complimentary a-line up as you’ve come to expect from my programming at Sweetalkers. So let's specific about what came over the Pacific, or uh, Tasman:
MICHAEL RUDD
Michael Rudd is Ngati Pakeha New Zealander of Aotearoa, described as an 'oralist' and performance poet, he is also developing his enjoyment of sound poetry, voice and words as an instrument and all that. Also enjoys creating/performing improv poetry Like fatherhood he was a late starter in poetry, and for both he is thankful.
His hobbies include producing poetry/spoken word gigs, which he done so for many years both sides of the Tasman, most recent been the 1st NZ Poetry Slam in late 2011 Michael has performed and promoted poetry on television, radio, on the street, in bars, trains, buses, prison and a lot of places in between.
ZANE SCARBOROUGH
Zane is a NZ Maori (Ngapuhi) raised in Auckland City, father and husband, a youth-worker of sorts, and a member of the South Auckland Poets Collective, a strong collective of poets that brings to voice the urban Pacific and Maori experience, using the power of poetry and spoken word. Zane placed 3rd at the 1st New Zealand Poetry Slam held in Wellington, October 2011.
(If you are not seeing a playable window click here for a direct YouTube link)
ALI JACS
After performing her poetry live one fateful night at a bar in Saskatoon, Canada, Ali caught the spoken word bug. Her poetry is inspired by people, landscapes and cultures encountered on the road, exploring themes of politics, sexuality, social and environmental justice and the madness of these crazy times. Having travelled extensively across Canada and Europe, before moving back home to NZ where she runs the monthly poetry series Poetry in Motion in Wellington. Ali scored 2nd place in both the Going West Writer’s Festival Poetry Slam in Auckland, and in New Zealand’s inaugural National Poetry Slam.
(If you are not seeing a playable window click here for a direct YouTube link)
Ali has just completed her first chapbook, which will be on sale at Sweetalkers for $12.
BRAD McCORMICK
Brad started performance poetry at a competition called ‘Poetry Idol’ in 2009. After two years overseas writing absolutely no poetry at all, in 2011 he began again managing to take the top prizes at both the Going West Poetry Slam in Auckland and the New Zealand Poetry Slam in Wellington. Brad ekes out a living as an actor and internet copywriter and lives in Auckland with his lovely fiancée, Nancy Kniveton.
(If you are not seeing a playable window click here for a direct YouTube link)
CLARA JANE SIONE
A lover of the arts, based in Otara, she refers to her poetry as mental notes learning how to speak. she writes of imagination, her life in south Auckland and her family. A member of the South Auckland Poets Collective, Clara recently moved to Melbourne... (so hopefully we'll see more of her after this, if you guys are nice and stuff)
(If you are not seeing a playable window click here for a direct YouTube link)
DIETRICH SOAKAI
has been a youth development worker for Youthline for 7 years. He is passionate about hearing people's stories and experiences which lead to him to South Auckland Poets Collective, of which he is an active member. His poetry is written with the intent to provoke thoughts and reactions in audience. Dietrich has written pieces about Faith, finding love and the want to 'Sky Dive' through life (see YouTube below for more on that)
(If you are not seeing a playable window click here for a direct YouTube link)
MICHELLE (DUREY) BOLTON
This Canadian born Spanish-American considers New Zealand home, as a ‘kiwi-bred’ universal citizen. Michelle has spent her life all over the world, scribbling about her experiences since she was able to hold a pen. Michelle is a fledgling performance poet, who has been published in “Blackmail Press issue 14” and the “NZ Poetry.Org -Winter Edition”. In 2005, she published her first book of poetry entitled “Wheel of the World”. When she’s not hosting spoken word events like LIVE the “Library Bar”, Michelle spends her time raising her 3 kids and trying to complete a second collection of poetry.
(If you are not seeing a playable window click here for a direct YouTube link)
...with special guest: TOURETTES
Hi I’m Tourettes, I like rapping, poetry and playing the drums. I write about politics, love and diseases. I’m in a crew called Breakin wreckwordz. We’re pretty good. Here’s a list of things I’ve done that make my Mum proud: • Won the national emcee battle title and came second in Australasia • Released two albums- “the misadventures of Johnny Favourite” and “Gimme Five Dollars and I'll Show You My Dick!” • Toured New Zealand, Australia, Europe, England and Japan • Won heaps of poetry slams • Supported international bands like Dizzie Rascal, Atmosphere and Sage Francis • Had writing published in various publications including Landfall • Got heaps of ugly tattoos At the moment I’m trying to find the best medium to get the voices out of my head and into yours. That’s all. Peace
(If you are not seeing a playable window click here for a direct YouTube link)
...and your host MC: RANDALL STEPHENS
For me personally, this Sweetalkers brings my poetry life full circle, being able to host so many fine artists from my homeland, and completing a circuit begun when I toured New Zealand for two months early last year. Some of these folks, I met and heard perform back then, others I’m excitedly waiting to hear for the first time live tomorrow, and as MC I’ll be peppering the afternoon with a few of my own poems from that tour. Speaking of that tour:
(If you are not seeing a playable window click here for a direct YouTube link)
...and yeah, as some of you may also know, this will be the last regular Sweetalkers gig for a little while, so it's kinda fitting to be back at the ol' Bendigo Hotel one last time. Please note it's 2pm in the afternoon.
So come along, buy me a beer and help me pack up some chairs afterwards. Cheers
Sunday April 8th 2PM The Bendigo Hotel 125 Johnston Street, Collingwood
please save me from chosen people on a flat Earth on a self-righteous path blood-red carpeted by the many books re-written all singularly purporting to have the right answer
save me from hiding behind the veil of civil liberty's shiny shield springing attacks on women's rights on homo sexuality and human progress
save me from myself
save me from submitting myself from calls to bow down not to think to question about imaginary friends in our head or monsters under my bed
save me from taking human messages of hope and book-binding them shackled with fear
you've been with us right from the beginning closing doors in righteous cause haven't you taken enough time
and hell is what you made of it bloated and overfed while heaven's a dream of a world without gods all their saviours long dead
save me from them the only ones who comdemn sin me up a scoreboard preying upon my soul
save me the obstinate obsession with tolling up transgression save your breath for the life-after-death your ideas, at least, might get
their time will be through when people finally realise all we have ever actually needed saving from
Sweetalkers March is storming the stage at Bar Open this Thursday night with an amazing line-up of international spoken word and local poetry all stars to light up your Thursday night.
SKYE LONERAGAN
Back from Glasgow we have Skye Loneragan, the Edinburgh fringe fest-award winning writer/performer, bringing her passion for poetry into the third dimension and down from Sydney to tell us a thing or two.
Her first solo show, Cracked has been adapted for ABC Radio National. She’s made four other solo shows, worked on artist residencies, done poetry gigs with many wonderful people and her last play, Mish Gorecki Goes Missing, was shortlisted for three UK awards. (more info: www.SkyeLoneragan.com)
This will be Skye’s first ever poetry performance in Melbourne. I first saw Skye perform in Sydney, as a sacrificial poet in a National Slam heat up there, fresh back from a decade over in Scotland, and then again at her own gig ‘Turning the Page’ in Sydney and I knew then I had to get her down to Melbourne. She’ll also doing features at the Dan O Connell on Saturday and Passionate Tongues next Monday to complete her Melbourne tour. Yes you should come to all three. Randall says so.
SISTA ZAI
Sage storyteller Sista Zai blends humour, intellect and grace in talking about the experience of African-descended women living in Australia, she’s coming to the stage to plant some seeds in your mind, to see what grows.
Zai writes stories that speak authentically about her personal experience of life. In 2011, Zai founded Stillwaters! an African-Descended Women's Storytelling Collective. Through artistic collaboration and workshops, Stillwaters! facilitates the mutual and respectful co-existence of all experiences and stories.
(if you are not seeing a playable video-window above click here for a link)
Sista Zai is helping Sweetalkers continue our policy of featuring new and emerging talent, who have yet to be given a full feature of their own. I’ve given Zai a couple of requests, and I really can’t wait to see what she’s going to do for us.
Over from the USA on their Asia/Australia tour, a pair of Poetry slam mega-champions: Phil Kaye and Sarah Kay, giants in the US poetry scene for years, having performed for thousands of audience members in venues from sold out theatres to maximum security prisons. Together they run Project V.O.I.C.E. ~started in 2004 and has since taught Spoken Word Poetry in classrooms and workshops all over the world to students of all ages.
Project VOICE
(if you are not seeing a playable video-window above click here for a link)
Sarah was a featured speaker at the 2011 TED conference (Technology, Entertainment, Design) on "The Rediscovery of Wonder" in Long Beach, California.
(if you are not seeing a playable video-window above click here for a link)
They’re kind of a big deal. Like a huge big deal. Like: the poetry nerds have been going ape since I announced it, a few even thought I was flat-out lying that we could get them in. I offer as proof a plugging our sister gig SLAMADINGDONG, the night before (today, Wednesday as you're reading this), featuring Sarah and Phil, along with a supporting host of Melbourne's finest battling out in a slam, a line up including yours truly:
...and also your host and Sweetalkin' MC for the evening: one STEVE SMART, cult-personality around Melbourne, one of it's most amazing voices, constantly torn between high art and low art, and making sure we’re all caught up there with him in the struggle.
(if you are not seeing a playable video-window above click here for a link)
This is going to be the best thing since the wheel was reinvented to be better than sex-stacked metaphors on top of sliced bread, ever. Or at least a damn fine night of stage-poetry. Or your money back.
...oh and that reminds me it’s free entry. See you there!
In February we’re packing in more talent than you can poke a $10 note at (as blunt a device as that is). This month we have for you four very diverse performers, united under the theme of: people we should hear doing spoken word in Melbourne more often.
1/6 (One Six)
African-Australian Hip Hop Artist 1/6 makes his second-ever foray into a Capella, after his amazing 2009 debut at Wordplay. Born in Australia but raised and schooled in Namibia, 1/6 has emerging as one of Aussie hip hops freshest talents.
Now based in Melbourne, 1/6 boasts regular appearances with respected groups Illzilla, Public Opinion Afro Orchestra, The Mega Horns, Polo Club, Black Jesus and his crew Pang Productions, and was recently the recipient of the Hilltop Hoods initiative, giving him a grant towards his first solo album.
One Six Freestyle Live StrictlyOZ Kiss FM 2011
if you are not seeing a playable video window click here for a direct link
You can also listen to a podcast of his appearance at Wordplay in 2009 by clicking here
LAURA JEAN MCKAY
Another Wordplay veteran (yes, we steal ideas from the best here at Sweetalkers, including Wordplay’s blurb on her: “Her performances are an enchanting and chaotic mix of cabaret, short story reading, song, spoken word, and high-level wrongness”). We’ve wrestled her away from finishing her short story collection to come tell us a thing or two.
Laura has published in Best Australian Stories, Sleepers Almanac and The Big Issue. An Asialink literature residency to Cambodia led to an MA in Creative Writing at the University of Melbourne (see video below) . In 2011 she won the Alan Marshal Short Story award and was shortlisted for the 2011 Whitemore Press Poetry Manuscript prize.
The Cyclo Men of Phnom Penh -(written by Laura Jean McKay)
if you are not seeing a playable video window click here for a direct link
Andy is one of my very favourite Melbourne poets, back fresh from India, where he recently completed an Asialink residency, exploring medical tourism, and performing at poetry events over there. He doesn’t sing, shout or stage dive but speaks simply and beautifully, writing poetry about bodies, identities and the indefinable.
He has performed at the Australian Poetry Festival in Sydney, Queensland Poetry Festival, and the Newcastle Young Writers Festival. His collaborative performance with puppeteer Rachael Guy was awarded the City of Yarra Award for Most Innovative Work at the 2009 Overload Poetry Festival (see video below). His first full-length collection of poems – Among the Regulars - was shortlisted for the Kenneth Slessor Prize in 2010.
Ambiguous Mirrors - collaboration with Rachael Wenona Guy
If you are not seeing a playable window above click here
SOPHIA DACY-COLE
Sophia Dacy-Cole. 20 something, hopeless romantic. Poet, artist and occasional activist. Studying an honours in fine arts as a backup plan while she waits for the anarchist revolution. Has edited for and been published in numerous student publications around Victoria. Sometimes at the same time. Has organised and performed in gigs around Victoria, Canberra and Nimbin. Is looking at starting up a slightly more queer centric gig soon, so look out for that.
Will probably fall in love with anyone who stands still long enough.
Looks much sexier on real life than in this video (of her 8 minute set as a Nimbin finalist)
~and likewise you will also fall in love with her words ~ probably happen as soon as you hear them.
Sophia is at the heart of the reason I started organising Sweetalkers ~she's one of the people I've been lucky enough to see in my travels that most Melbournians haven't. So help me help you fix that and be there Sunday!
We're mixing literature and street, brain food and braggadocio, veteran and beginner, men and women, black and white, good and evil, us and them, young and old, positrons and electrons, and maybe even a few neutrons too if you're good and well behaved.
8pm (starting time, doors open 7.30)
The Bendigo Hotel –Collingwood 125 Johnston Street (uh, Collingwood)
with your lovable MC Randy Old Man Randall Stephens
