Poems of the Month – April 2026 – Ben Adams & Veronica Cookson

The Poems of the Month for April 2026, selected by 2026 Anthology editors Elizabeth Salna and Erica Jolly, are flattop by Ben Adams and Modern Slant on an Old Story by Veronica Cookson. The commended poems are Swallowtail Butterfly by Kylie Dinning, Broken News by Billy-Jack Johnson, Evelyn, Little Evelyn by Geoff Johnson and Travelling North by Rob McKinnon.

flattop
Ben Adams

the instinct of fire is
conflagration

filling space like a man who won’t stop talking
about not getting caught in groupthink
how he doesn’t see empathy as a virtue
and that he formulated these ideas
after reading Orwell, Huxley, Peterson
and Plato
speaking to people
and dating a woman
whose worldview was based on emotions

he hates cops
for all the wrong reasons

considers multiculturalism impossible
from a logical standpoint
and says educated white people think BBQs and backyard cricket
are analogous with white supremacy
slight hyperbole, he admits
but not far from the mark

he is an exothermic process
becoming everything
replacing air with heat, the still surface
of a flattop grill or timber frame
a hanging tent flap, or skin
with crackling singe and melt

he’s forgotten to flip the snags again

the way embers smoulder
kindling catches love like a spark
follows algorithmic oxygen
to inhale it like hate, like something
his body wants
the world is a many-faced god

and he’s forgotten to check the steaks
as we stand away in the smokers’ corner
discussing the sociology of flame

as weapon of war, the worst way to die
he talks about diesel engines
speeding fines and the family court
religion as culture
and ritual, a warm hearth
he remembers

I mention the witches they burned

tell him that
combustion doesn’t care
what it consumes

and violence only becomes visible
at the ignition point

Modern Slant on an Old Story
Veronica Cookson

The original
Antonio, Merchant of Venice, Act 1, Scene 1

‘In sooth, I know not why I am so sad.… Click for more

FSP May City Meeting and Open Mic

Friday 1st May 2026
doors at 6:00pm for 6:30pm start

The Box Factory
59 Regent St, Adelaide, SA 5000

$5 to read, free to listen.

Share some poetry, listen to others reading and enjoy the friendly poetry vibes of the biggest and oldest ongoing poetry group in the Southern Hemisphere.

As usual, a strict 3-minute time limit applies, including any introductions, explanations and post-scripts. Bring two typed / printed copies of your poem with all your contact details on the back of the pages for submission to the next FSP Annual Anthology. You also can submit your poem electronically via the form below.… Click for more

Poem of the Month – March 2026 – Pat Lee

The Poem of the Month for March 2026, selected by 2026 Anthology editors Elizabeth Salna and Erica Jolly, is The Bridge by Pat Lee. The commended poems are A Night Off by Steve Evans, Death Dialogue by Rob Ferris, The Future by Peter Goers and Burden by Fred Willett.

The Bridge
Pat Lee

Tooleybuc, River Murray, NSW/Vic border

Beside the bridge sits a little park,
tree’d with gums, grassed in green.
From trim front gardens across the road,
summer roses stand and watch —
People come, people go over the river’s bounteous flow.

Here, there was a slight, neat man,
I cannot say how old or young,
with deep tanned face and short black hair.… Click for more

FSP 2026 AGM summary report

Summary report from convenor, Nigel Ford, of the 2026 FSP Annual General Meeting held at the Box Factory, 10th April, 2026

Three members of the Committee did not continue: Veronica Cookson, David Cookson and Sue O’Brien. I’d like to thank them for their wonderful service to the FSP Committee, especially for all the work they undertook to help make Friendly Street Poets’ 50th Anniversary year and celebrations such a success. Special thanks to Veronica Cookson for taking on the Secretary role for her 2 year tenure.

Three members nominated to return to the Committee: Nigel Ford, Erica Jolly & Fred Willett.… Click for more

Poem of the Month – February 2026 – Fred Willett

The Poem of the Month for February 2026, selected by 2026 Anthology editors Elizabeth Salna and Erica Jolly, is Semaphore Jetty by Fred Willett. The commended poems are Escape by Nigel Ford, Some thoughts of somebody who hasn’t sailed solo around the world by Bruce Greenhalgh, The Doc Said by Susan O’Brien and Final crossing by Valerie Volk.

Semaphore Jetty
Fred Willett

Mum died
She’d gone years before, of course
An empty husk
A house long deserted. No one inside

We took her ashes to Semaphore Jetty on a crystal day
Ice wind. Kites flying
Kids on the carousel
And let her go gently into the turtle water
To start her next journey

Escape
Nigel Ford

With the staccato fire of the machine guns overhead
and the rumbling of heavy artillery in the distance
I bunker down prepared to ride out the storm
as flashes of brilliant light blind me through my window
but despite this cacophony of violence surrounding me
far removed from the company of family in our old home
I am at peace with the situation I find myself in
My fingers kneading the armrests of my recliner
I listen to the rain on the tin roof of my new house
the music of my own song
an anthem to new found independence
and escape from their quarrels

Some thoughts of somebody who hasn’t sailed solo around the world
Bruce Greenhalgh

I could fly to Rome;
I won’t.… Click for more

New Poets 27 submissions now open

FSP is pleased to announce that submissions for New Poets 27 are open now and close on midnight 31st May 2026. Each volume in the New Poets series publishes short collections of poems from three poets who have not yet published a collection of poetry.

Before submitting your manuscript, please read the rules and formatting requirements carefully. Failure to comply with the requirements will result in your submission being disqualified. The rules can be downloaded as a PDF document below.

… Click for more
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