NEW POETS 17 Launch

Three amazing manuscripts in one perfect poetry book

John Pfitzner achingly connects the spirit to the land in poems borne of thought, experience and deep consideration. Find solace and hope in his words. Gareth Roi Jones quick wit touches the making and mending of relationships, turning surprisingly and lightly at each poem’s end. Read your own stories in his lines. Rachael Mead plots daily concerns of home and abroad, ranging across the globe in wild imaginative conversations with self and others. In her poems you can bask and be illuminated.  To be launched at

The Box Factory, 59 Regent Street South, Adelaide.

Saturday May 19th 2012 6pm for a start at 6.30pm – 8.30pm

by Mike Ladd

Delicious nibbles and superb wine from

Quantum mechanics

(those most dizzyingly complex

of celestial craftsmen)

allow small particles

(electrons, atoms & whatnot) to exist

in a “superposition of states”

in opposition to what we observe

in our “real” earth based daily life

where things are in one state or another

a coin is either heads or tails after flipping

not both

a car is either moving or stationary

not both

a bill is either reasonably priced for the services rendered

or from a qualified mechanic

not both

Schrödinger disliked this superposition notion

& posited the paradox of the entangled cat

callously trapped in a steel chamber

alongside a broken flask of hydrocyanic acid

both dead & alive at the same time

challenging the counter-intuitiveness

of the mathematics behind quantum states

in a classic case of Reductio ad absurdum

(his position of exorbitant repair bills is not recorded)

the only moral I can draw is:

where possible don’t get a real grease monkey to fix your car

always go for an Austrian physicist

© gareth roi jones

Words @ the Wall

Late afternoon Poetry performances 2012

Treasures Wall, 1^st Floor State Library North Terrace

(c) Image Rachael Mead

Wednesday May 16th

5.30 – 6.15pm

Acclaimed poets Peter Goldsworthy and Aidan Coleman will be introduced by FSP MC Mike Hopkins. Both poets will be reading from their latest work.  They will be delighted to sign your book after the performance. Friendly Street Poets Inc information and books available at the book table. Light refreshments are kindly provided by the State Library of SA.

This is FREE event

Everyone is welcome

Performances at the State Library at 5.30 pm on the 3^rd Wednesday of each month

Full program details available on this website – search Words @ the Wall

and online at the State Library of SA website: www.slsa.sa.gov.au

in her work in charcoal and white pastel

Michael Faraday

invented this cage

173 years ago to protect

his scientific research from

forces beyond his control

I am back with that young man

the son of poor but loving parents

who gave him the basics they could afford

and the spiritual strength to find his way,

to take his chance when it came

ignore the snobbery and derision

of a woman determined to

keep him in his place.

He could wait his turn, work,

rise above black balling

by a jealous scientist

who would keep him down

and when he had the chance

light a candle to curiosity

and share with children

his delight in discovery.

Today he is here

in the loving soft grey depths

of charcoal and white pastel

in the bits and pieces

made by other hands

for the same purpose -–

probing the unknown.

© Erica Jolly

Presenter: Alison Flett

When: Saturday May 14^th 2pm – 4.30pm

Where: The Box Factory, 59 Regent Street South, Adelaide.

Cost: FSP Members $25/ Non Members $35

Scottish poet Alison Flett will be giving this Workshop on poets and their relationship to place. If you saw Alison performing at the Words @ the Wall Program, you already know something about her poetry and skills; if not, we promise you will not be disappointed. Alison will be providing practical, useful advice to poets and with workshop exercises aimed at developing poetic and language skills.

There are 15 places still available. Please contact Friendly Street Poets at our email address: poetry@friendlystreetpoets.org.au as soon as possible to book your place at this fascinating workshop. Book you place and pay on the day by cash or cheque.

when old man Siberian tiger no longer strolls through spruce forests;

when the song of the whistling thrush echoes only in legend;

when folklore whispers of the mythical bluefin tuna;

when you have scraped and filleted my mountainous flesh;

when you have sunk and hollowed brittle my bones;

when you have drunk me dry and

you who remain wage war

over my dusty clefts;

when birth is rare

and your future

funnels

towards

a

thin

possibility;

when I no longer

support your life

because I fight

for

mine.

©  Jennifer Liston

Malcolm Reid Building, SAWC 2^nd Floor Atrium above Cafe Brunelli

East Rundle Street Adelaide

Everyone is welcome!

Guest Poet: John Pfitzner ~ New Poets 17

Promo Poet: Aidan Coleman

Every variety of poetry, spoken word, rap, hip hop, lyric, narrative can be read or performed. There is no censorship. Each poet has 3 mins at the open mic. Every poem read is eligible for selection in our annual anthology. Please bring two copies of your poem to place in the Readers’ box and risk publication. This is your first chance to be in the 2012 anthology edited by Elaine Barker & Rachael Mead. Book in at 6.30pm, so book in early prompt 7pm start. Cost: $5/$6. Fruit juices & wines free inside.

Disabled access via Yorke Street (runs parallel and south of  East Rundle St)

email: poetry@friendlystreetpoets.org.au

AP POEM OF THE WEEK

Congratulations to Erica Jolly for her poem, ‘A Persian moment at the Baxter Detention Centre’, which won the last  Poem of the Week on the theme ‘Persia’.

Words @ the Wall

Late afternoon Poetry performances 2012

Treasures Wall, 1^st Floor State Library, North Terrace

Scottish & Irish Poetry

Wednesday April 18th 5.30 – 6.15pm

Sarah Wauchope introduces poets: Alison Flett, a Scottish poet from Edinburgh via the Orkney Isles and Jill Wherry an Irish poet from Belfast, Northern Islan. Both poets will be reading from their latest publications and will be delighted to sign your book after the performance. Light refreshments are provided by the State Library of SA.

This is FREE event

Everyone is welcome

Performances at the State Library at 5.30 pm on the 3^rd Wednesday of each month

Full program details available on this website under Words @ the Wall or online at www.slsa.sa.gov.au

‘Grief and Consolation Poetry’

When: Saturday 14^th April 2pm – 4.30pm

Where: Communal tearoom, Level 8 Napier Building, University of Adelaide, North Terrace.

Cost: FSP Members $20/ Non Members $30

Please book your place  by contacting us by email: poetry@friendlystreetpoets.org.au; orpay by cash on the day or via cheque and send by post to: Friendly Street Poets, PO Box 3695, Norwood SA 5067

Jacqueline Clarke will begin this Seminar looking at Grief and Consolation in Ancient Poetry. Valerie Volk will use her book ‘In Due Season’ as a means to explore her personal experience of grief. Maggie Emmett will explore grieving related to a sudden death or suicide. Poets have always used their writing to explore and journey through major life events. Writing poetry may even be therapeutic, consoling both the poet and their readers.

This seminar includes the three presentations, an afternoon tea and an opportunity to talk about this important part of our life cycle. Please bring your poetry to the Seminar. The second half will be determined by your questions, poetry and ideas as well as input from the three presenters.

The John Bray Roman Poetry Prize 2012 competition this yearwill focus on this topic. Entry forms will be available at the end of the seminar. It will give poets the opportunity to share their own poetry relating it to two ancient Roman Poetry sources.